The word “Nyssa” refers to a water nymph in Greek, whereas “tupelo” is of an American origin. Nyssa ogeche (Ogechee Tupelo/White Tupelo) Female trees bear oblong fruit that are edible. They are usually dioecious, so a male and female tree must be in proximity for reproductive success. Average Dried Weight: 34 lbs/ft 3 (545 kg/m 3) Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC):.46, .55. Here in the river swamps, this honey is produced in a … The area is famous for its high-quality tupelo honey. Ogeechee tupelo requires a very moist site and is distributed along the borders of rivers, swamps, and ponds that are frequently inundated. 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Native to the Eastern U.S., the tupelo tree is an attractive shade tree that thrives in open areas with plenty of room to spread and grow. These trees stand up to 80 feet (24 m.) tall at maturity. It grows naturally from the borders of South Carolina near the coast through the Ogeechee Valley in Georgia to Clay County in northern Florida and Washington County in western Florida. The bases of Tupelo Gum trees are swollen or flared outward but with out flutes like a cypress tree. It comes from the Creek words ito ‘tree’ and opilwa ‘swamp’. The tupelo, or pepperidge tree, genus Nyssa, is a small genus of about 9 to 11 species of trees with alternate, simple leaves. The flowers are pollinated by bees. Still others call it beetlebung, stinkwood, wild peartree or pepperidge. As the tree matures it takes on more of an irregular habit. A tree of many monikers, the black tupelo is also known in various areas as a gum tree, sour gum, bowl gum, yellow gum or tupelo gum. [2] Growing to 15 m (~50 ft), it is in flower from March to May, and the seeds ripen from August to October. Nyssa sylvatica, commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and eastern Texas, as well as Mexico. This give the tupelo gum tree a wider base which give it more stability in the swamps and lowland forests. It is noted for attracting wildlife. They usually have a 1.5-foot to 3-foot (45 cm. to 90 cm.) Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! The white tupelo gum tree (Nyssa ogeche ‘Bartram’) is limited by its environment. Tupelo definition is - any of a genus (Nyssa of the family Nyssaceae) of North American and Asian deciduous trees that have simple alternate leaves, small usually greenish-white dioecious flowers, and a rounded drupe; especially : black gum. The wood is of little value, but the mature fruits and their juice are used by people. The birds that visit the tree to clean up the last of the berries also add winter interest. Ogeechee tupelo is also known as Ogeechee gum, Ogeechee-lime, wild lime tree, gopher plum, white tupelo, sour tupelo-gum, sour tupelo, white tupelo gum, lone tupelo, lime tree, and bee tupelo. This page was last edited on 26 June 2020, at 11:13. The juice can be used as a substitute for limes, the tree often develops swollen buttress-type roots as it gets older. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Beekeepers must clean the comb for tupelo honey when the tree is in bloom. Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter. What's so special about tupelo? They make excellent shade trees and can serve as street trees where overhead wires aren’t a concern. Tupelo Honey (Nyssa Ogeche) Tupelo honey is a high grade honey produced in a small region in North Western Florida and Southern Georgia from White Ogeechee Tupelo trees. There are many uses for tupelo trees in areas large enough to accommodate their size. People who live in the area actually call this honey swamp honey, which makes sense because the area where the white tupelo trees grow is actually considered swampland. diameter, red fruits that are pleasantly flavored and used as a substitute for limes. Middle-aged Ogeechee Tupelo. Common Name(s): Black Tupelo, Blackgum. The most widely distributed member in North America is the black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), also known as black gum, sour gum, or pepperidge tree.It grows in woods and moist areas from Maine southward to the Gulf Coast and westward to Oklahoma. It is deciduous and starts very symmetrical with a pyramidal shape, but ages to an irregular form. In addition, the flowers provide nectar for bees. You may want to ask advice of an extension agent (through your local university) or someone at the nursery where you obtained them. Tupelo Gum (Nyssa aquatica) Tupelo Gum also known as water tupelo, swamp tupelo grow to about 90 feet tall. This tree typically grows to a height of 60 feet (18 metres) and occasionally attains a height of 100 feet (30 metres). Nyssa ogeche, commonly referred to as Ogeechee tupelo, white tupelo, river lime, ogeechee lime tree, sour gum or wild lime is a deciduous tree. Pests: Free of serious pests and diseases, but it can be affected by tupelo leaf miner, scale, leaf spot and rust. Trees planted in alkaline soil die young. Nyssa is a genus of North American deciduous leaves. It is primarily a lowland tree found in low wet woods, bottomlands and pond peripheries, but also can be found on dry rocky wooded slopes and ravines. Although it grows in other areas as well, you won’t find another region with the concentration of white tupelos equal to this 100-mile (160 km.) The honey … Growing to 15 m (~50 ft), it is in flower from March to May, and the seeds ripen from August to October. Nyssa sylvatica, commonly called sour gum, is a slow-growing, deciduous, Missouri native tree which occurs in a wide range of soils south of the Missouri River in the southeastern quarter of the State. Tupelo is a rare and wonderful honey produced from the White Ogeechee Tupelo Tree (nyssa ogeche). The berries contain seeds by which the seeds propagate. Tupelo honey is produced in the Okeefenokee Wildlife Refuge and the Apalachicola River basin in Florida, where the peninsula turns into the Florida panhandle. White-tailed deer browse on the tree’s twigs. It is coarse grained, difficult to split and of little value. But, in the hands of the right beekeeper, those trees wed with honey bees to make some of … The flowers are very small, in greenish-white in clusters at the top of a long stalk and a rich source of nectar for bees. Very important tree in the Florida honey industry. The Tupelo Tree. Scientific Name: Nyssa sylvatica. Honey made from the white tupelo gum tree, Nyssa ogeche, is top quality table honey and is valued for its uniquely delicious flavor and its inability to granulate. Nyssa ogeche, commonly referred to as Ogeechee tupelo, white tupelo, river lime, ogeechee lime tree, sour gum or wild lime is a deciduous tree. The most common and familiar tupelo trees are the black gum tupelo trees (Nyssa sylvatica). Fruit is bluish-black and is loved by many birds. Tupelo trees are an important food source for wildlife. Fruit. According to swamp tupelo information, white-tailed deer love to eat the tree’s new growth and leaves, and many birds and mammals munch its nutritious fruits. 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