There is a handful
of tupelo species found in the Southeast, but only blackgum, Nyssa sylvatica,
is not an obligate wetland species. Blackgum twigs can be like a toothbrush due to the way the wood splits length ways into brush like bristles; I have heard reports of a compound in blackgum that acts like fluoride, but don't worry that a blackgum toothbrush will turn your gums black since this common name instead refers to the color and consistency of sap that oozes from wounds in the the bark. The Alabama state champion blackgum is 112 feet tall, has a girth of 129 inches, and an average limb spread of 47 feet.
Both
swamp tupelo. N. biflora, and bog
tupelo, N. ursine, are sometimes considered
to be subspecies of blackgum.The Alabama state champion swamp tupelo is found in LimestoneCounty and it is 104 feet tall, 145
inches around, and has a spread of 53 feet. Bog tupelo is also known as bear
tupelo and it is only found in the Florida
panhandle.Water tupelo, N. aquatica, typically grows in
swamps.There used to be a population in Maynard's Cove, which gave the community of Tupelo its name.A significant local population is found on BelfonteIsland.A few saplings appear to have been planted in LakeGuntersville near Randal’s Chapel on
the down stream side of Alabama
highway 35 and they can be recognized by the buttressed trunks.Other populations can be seen from I-565 west
of Huntsville, but the Alabama state champion is in the Hayes
Nature Preserve and it is 107 feet tall, 235 inches around, and has a limb
spread of 80 feet.
Ogeechee tupelo, N.
ogeche, also known as Ogeechee lime, was discovered by William Bartram where it
is native near the OgeecheeRiver in Georgia.It is reported as far west as Alabama and I
have been looking for a reliable nursery source, considering that an unreliable
source has many negative reviews and at my last visit claimed they ran out
months before, but would be restocked in a couple of weeks, which was about as
believable as them having to cut down all their pecan trees because they were
to old to bear.Because I’m looking to
grow fruit, which may be substituted for limes considering the alternate
colloquial name, therefore, I’ll need to get several to ensure getting both a
male and female due to the genus Nyssa
being dioecious.The tupelos,
especially the similar species of water tupelo and Ogeechee
tupelo, are considered important honey plants, which produce a monofloral
honey.
