Black gum is a large deciduous shade tree in the tupelo family (Nyssaceae) native to the United States. It is found naturally in flooded swamps, pinelands, and pocosins, where it can grow 60 to 100 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide. It prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained acidic soils. This slow-growing tree is difficult to transplant, so choose its location wisely. Black gum is mostly dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female trees. The male trees are necessary pollinizers to get fruit set on the female trees. This plant has stunning red fall color. Use in a naturalized area, as a lawn, or street tree, or a low-lying area of the yard, as it withstands wet sites well. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Tolerant of heat. Leaf miners and scale are occasional visitors. Susceptible to tent caterpillars. Canker, leaf spots, and rust can affect stressed trees.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in. | Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Obovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
alternate simple leaves vary in shape and are broadly lanceolate to obovate to elliptical. Margins are entire to sparsely dentate and size is 3-6 inches long 1-2 inches wide leaf
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Green; White
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower detail
The small greenish-white flowers bloom April-June singly or in small clusters.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
dark purplish blue drupe ½-⅝ inch long, They are available August-October.
Bark color
Light Brown; Light Gray
Bark detail
The bark is reddish brown and has deep irregular ridges and diamond-shaped plate. It can be very thick on older trees.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Slender gray-brown twigs
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern to middle United States
Distribution
AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IL , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , SC , TN , TX , VA
Wildlife value
Flowers are a nectar source for bees. Fruits are attractive to birds and small mammals.
Attracts
Bees; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Uses (ethnobotany)
lumber, veneer, paper pulp, railroad ties, flooring, rollers in glass factories, blocks, gunstocks, and pistol grips
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Naturalized Area; Pond; Riparian; Woodland
Landscape theme
Native Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rain Garden; Water Garden
Design feature
Shade Tree; Street Tree
Garden tags
#low lying area #nectar plant #slow growing #low maintenance #naturalized area #lawn tree #street tree #fall interest #shade tree #rain garden #Braham Arboretum #wet soils tolerant #clay soils tolerant #heat tolerant #Piedmont Mountains FACW #Coastal OBL #food source herbage #food source nectar #mammals #food source pollen #NC native #food source soft mast fruit #pollinator plant #bird friendly #Audubon #black walnut toxicity tolerant #flood tolerant #honey bees #bee friendly #deciduous tree #riparian #large tree #wildlife friendly #NC Native Pollinator Plant