Black Gum Tree Wood Uses

Black tupelo grows up to 20 25 meters.

Black gum tree wood uses. In fact the genus nyssa is the name of a water nymph. It s considered a valuable tree used for lumber and furniture production as well as for ornamental purposes. The name tupelo is of native american origin coming from the muskogee words ito tree and opilwa swamp. Gum resin from the trees has.

Their fruit is effective against rheumatic pain. Tupelo is a favored wood for wildfowl carvings. It has a sweet odor when cut a tight and tortuous grain pattern with burl characteristics especially in the crooked limbs. The leaves flutter easily in the slightest of breezes and form a rounded canopy.

The national champion black gum 67 feet is in new jersey. I have done several turnings from a down black gum on my property and they are beautiful. The bark has astringent properties and addresses dysentery and diarrhea. This resistance to splitting led to its use for making mauls pulleys wheel hubs agricultural rollers bowls and paving blocks.

The leaves of the black gum tree are an elongated oval shape that offer a brilliant fall show. The wood of nyssa sylvatica is heavy hard cross grained and difficult to split especially after drying. Classification kingdom plantae order cornales family cornaceae or nyssaceae genus nyssa species n. Because of its twisted grain black gum cannot be split so it has been somewhat spared by lumbermen.

Hollow sections of black gum trunks were formerly used as bee gums by beekeepers. Carving furniture crates boxes and utility wood. Sweet gum trees have various medicinal uses. Black gum s twisted interlocked grain makes it nearly impossible to split but in veneer form perfect for berry baskets.

This wood species is not listed in the cites appendices or on the iucn red list of threatened species. Black gum or sour gum tree facts can be rather fascinating for arborists who study this hardy towering native species. Blackgum also called black tupelo tupelo gum or just tupelo is a tree that loves to grow in water and water soaked soils. Black gum is one of the best honey producing trees in the world.

The resilient wood is good for making tool handles. Black gum is excellent for turning.