Flowering Gum Trees

The flowers of gum trees are not showy, but they serve as a source of nectar for bees, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden. Among the flowering gum trees occurring in North America, the black gum has the most landscaping worth.

Geography

Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), or tupelo gum, ranges from central Florida northward to central New England. The tree's western distribution goes into eastern parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois. Black gum grows from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9.

Features

Some black gum trees grow to 90 feet, but most stay within the 30 to 50-foot range. Black gum features a straight trunk, deciduous leaves that change from green to colors such as orange and yellow in fall and flowers that are greenish white. The flowers bloom during May and June, attracting bees in search of nectar. The flowers become berry-like fruits that birds and smaller mammals feast upon in autumn.

Growing Conditions

Find a place in full sun that has damp, well-draining, acidic soil when considering where to plant a black gum tree as a specimen plant or shade tree. The tree has a long taproot, according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database, making it hard to move once established.

References

• University of Connecticut Plant Database: Nyssa sylvatica
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Nyssa sylvatica
• "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees: Eastern Region"; Elbert L. Little, Revised 2008