Nyssa aquatica
water tupelo, blackgum, sourgum, water gum, tupelo gum, tupelo, cotton-gum, water-tupelo
Family
Cornaceae
Leaf Arrangement
alternate
Leaf Attachment
petiolate
Leaf Margin
entire, toothed
Leaf Type
simple
Leaf Shape
oblong, elliptic, ovate
Growth Form
tree
Flower Month
March - May
Height (meters)
30.0
Milky Sap
No
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
native
Lifespan
perennial
Leaf Retention
Deciduous
Wetland Class
OBL
Wetland Coefficient of Conservatism
9
Field Characters
Long purple berries. Most leaves with one big tooth.
Habitat
Swamps, floodplain forests, lake and pond margins, deep freshwater swamps, sluggish streams.
Plant Uses
The wood is light, soft, and close-grained, but not strong. It is used in furniture, veneer, pulpwood, railway ties, and slack cooperage.