Nyssa sylvatica

• BOTANICAL NAME: Nyssa sylvatica
• PRONUNCIATION: NIS-a sil-VAT-i-ka
• COMMON NAME: Pepperidge, Sour Gum
• FAMILY: Nyssaceae
• NATIVITY: Southern Ontario to southern Florida, to Midwest.
• GROWTH HABIT: Pyramidal in youth, rounded with age; upper 1/3 of branches ascend, center branches are horizontal, lower branches hand down; 40'-60' tall. slow to medium growth rate.
• HARDINESS: Zone 3-9
• CULTURE: Moist, acid soils, full sun to partial shade. Tolerates drier soils and poor drainage.
• SUCCESSIONAL STATUS:  Climax
• FACULTATIVE STATUS:  Facultative
• LANDSCAPE USE: For a beautiful, early fall color, though color varies with the tree. Taproot makes transplanting difficult.
• FOLIAGE: Alternate, simple, entire, 2"-5" long obovate or elliptic. Lustrous, dark-green in summer; early fall colors yellow, red, purple.
• BUDS: Smooth yellow-brown to red-brown 1/8"-1/4". Leaf scar with 3 prominent bundle scar traces.
• BARK: Dark-gray.
• FRUIT: Small bluish black drupe ½" long. Birds eat it.
• PROPAGATION: Seed.
• PESTS: None serious.
• CULTIVARS: