Tag Archives: Black Gum

Early Autumn’s Gorgeous Tree

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), showing off in early autumn with a few leaves of knock your socks off scarlet among its many leaves that are still rich green. This one has fallen away from the tree to rest on a rock cushioned with moss.

Black Gum is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America. 

As the season develops, so does the scarlet coloring, replacing the rich greens. All become scarlet, and beautiful.

Large numbers of bees are attracted to its flowers in spring. I am attracted to the colors of its leaves in autumn.

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First Night Of Autumn

All day long people have been saying, “Happy first day of autumn!” Technically though, that would be tomorrow. Here in Virginia, the autumnal equinox arrives at 9:04 p.m. So, no autumn during the day today. But I’ve been celebrating autumn since September 1, since that’s the beginning of meteorological autumn which is based on temperatures. Not celestial objects floating across the sky.

And here in the mountains of Virginia, autumn is just thinking of happening, at least as far as the leaves are concerned. They’re nearly all shades of emerald. This leaf, at the top of the page, is a brilliant candy apple red from a Black Gum Tree (Nyssa sylvatica). One of many of my favorite autumn trees. Its leaves turn this wonderful color and generally hold on to them for while. Right now though, there aren’t many red ones – yet. I’ll be patient, waiting in the crisp autumn temperatures.

Black Gum Tree

Tomorrow’s the first day of autumn. That’s got me thinking of what trees are going to be doing in the next several weeks. So many leaves. Leaves that will be turning the most exquisite warm colors of the color wheel. Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is one that comes to mind.

It’s a standout in its ability to go from rich emerald to an intense scarlet.

Those alternate and simple leaves are a bit thick and quite glossy on their top surface. The rich fall color a pure knockout.

Black Gum is a medium sized slow growing deciduous tree. This tree is happy in full sun and part shade and though it likes wet soil and will even grow in water-logged areas it does grow in dry areas too. So you can find it most anywhere up to an elevation of 3,000 feet.

Black Gum can live to be 650 years old, helping bees in the production of honey and providing berries for a multitude of birds. Native to eastern North America, from Southern Ontario to Florida and Texas. Its bark is said to be alligator hide like. The branches emerge from the trunk at very close to a 90 degree angle which I find to be a good way to help identify this species of tree. But give me an autumn day and I’ll pick out those luscious brilliant scarlet leaves. For me a dead giveaway.

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