One of two black gum tupelo trees in my back yard died this spring, and I will miss it. The tree had twin trunks, and one of the trunks had a fungus canker about head high. I suspect the tree got the fungus canker due to the continued stress of dry weather conditions, and I had been watching it grow over the years not knowing what to do about it. I liked how the tree allowed blueberries to grow underneath its thin foliage. I also liked seeing and tasting the scattered tupelo berries, produced in racines, which drew birds. The job of cutting the tree down was very laborious as the wood was very hard and the ax and electric chain saw I used was ineffective against it. I have another black gum tupelo but it is a male and does not produce berries.
Blackgum tupelo, also called black tupelo, blackgum, sourgum, and pepperidge, has scientific 
name Nyssa sylvatica. The genus name Nyssa refers to a Greek water nymph, and the species name sylvatica refers to a woodland habitat. It is a deciduous hardwood that is highly tolerant of wet soils and flooding, and it tolerates only brief periods of drought. It is most often found in low wet woods, bottom lands, ravines, and rocky wooded slopes. Another species, ogeche, gets its name from the Creek Indian name for swamp, and prefers swampy regions of Appalachicola in north Florida and south Georgia. The sylvatica species is the most widely distributed species, growing through the eastern and central United States, and parts of Mexico and Canada. It is most often found in out of the way places, but is also grown as a specimen or shade tree. It needs little pruning and is resistant to limb breakage, but its greatest value is in its showy fall colors.
Blackgum tupelo is known for its tough wood, and for the honey produced from its flowers. “Black” tupelo honey produced by the sylvatica species is considered bakery grade, and is often blended with the superior “white” tupelo honey produced by the ogeche species. 
The “white” grade is in perpetual short supply as trees bloom only 2 to 3 weeks to provide nectar, and it is produced only in the Apalachicola region. Note the expense of 8 ounces of this honey, reflecting its scarcity and position of highest quality. Concerning the wood, it has been used to make shuttles in weaving and to make mauls, tool handles, pulleys, and other applications that require a hard, tough wood that is resistant to wear and doesn’t split. 
Other uses are for shipping containers, the interior parts of furniture, and plywood cores and backs. Continuing the wood use and honey production themes, wood carvers carve wood ducks and other water foul from the wood and hollow trunks have been used in sawn sections for making bee hives.
The blackgum tupelo has interesting characteristics. One thing that distinguishes this tree is its fine-textured, pyramidal shape with horizontal branches. The tree typically grows to 80 feet tall, becoming more rounded as it gets taller. Its spread is usually 2/3 of its height. The trunk is straight with gray-brown and irregularly furrowed bark. Lower branches droop with age. Aged blackgum tupelo trees begin decaying from the top, making for many hollow trees. On this 
framework are dark green leaves of medium to thin texture. Undersides of leaves are lighter in color. Leaves are alternate, simple, and elliptical to slightly oval. Margins are mostly smooth. The leaf surface varies from slightly lustrous to highly glossy. The leaf’s glossiness contributes to the tree’s fine texture. Leaves are usually 4 to 5 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide, crowded at the end of long branches. Leaf bases are generally rounded but can be wedge-shaped, and are attached to a ¼ to ½ inch long petiole. 
Leaves change to yellow, orange, red and purple in the fall. Another thing that 
distinguishes the black gum tree is its flowers and fruit. Trees usually have either male or female flowers, but some trees have both sexes of flowers. The flowers are very small, have 5 petals, and are greenish-white. There are 1 to 3 fleshy round drupes produced from each female flower cluster. Each drupe is less than 3/8 inch round, being a thin covering of juicy flesh over a large stone. The fruit is dark blue when mature. These fruit are edible, being tart but not bitter, and sweet. If you find any the birds haven’t eaten, you may use them for pies, preserves, and drinks.
When you see a blackgum tupelo tree, consider its beauty and many uses as I do. I will miss the one that died in my yard.
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