Nyssa aquatica

Common Names

Water Tupelo, Cotton Gum, Swamp Tupelo, Tupelo Gum, Sour Gum

Summary

Nyssa aquatica, Water Tupelo, is a large deciduous tree native to swampy floodplains and bottomlands of the southeastern United States, featuring a swollen base with a long straight trunk and a narrow, open crown, and glossy dark green leaves that turn yellow in autumn, greenish-white flowers appear in spring, followed by dark purple oblong drupes in fall, and the tree tolerates standing water and wet conditions, preferring full sun to part shade, it grows in very wet, acidic soils and is well suited to bog gardens, ponds, or edges of lakes, with hardiness in USDA zones 6 to 9, propagation is by seed, sow fresh or stratified seed in moist soil, with about three months of stratification at 5°C improving germination, though cuttings or layering can also be used, and wood is valued for crates, pallets, furniture, and veneers, while the tree supports wildlife and tupelo honey production

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

50-100 feet

Spread

240-360 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6–9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun, tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, acidic, waterlogged soil

Soil Drainage

Wet, poorly drained soils that stay waterlogged.

Soil pH

5.5-5.5

Bloom Color

Green

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow growing

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Vegetative reproduction (stump sprouts)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds