Black Gum (Tupelo) ‘Firestarter’

Black Gum (Tupelo) ‘Firestarter’
Nyssa sylvatica ‘Firestarter’

If the name ‘Tupelo’ rings a bell, it might be because this native tree was made famous in Van Morrison’s song Tupelo Honey. Honey bees and other pollinators cover the small, greenish flowers in Spring, and the honey is prized because of its incredible sweetness and scarcity. Beyond that, Nyssa (Greek for Nymph due to its love of wet soils) has attractive glossy green leaves and show-stopping fall color. By show-stopping, I mean I have stopped the car and taken photos. When the wild tree grows slowly to its spectacular 30-50’ tall (height is variety-dependent; ‘Firestarter’ stays around 35’ tall), it will look like it’s on fire in the Fall.

Another aspect that some may appreciate is that ‘Firestarter’ is seedless. Although it still flowers and provides nectar and pollen for pollinators, it won’t produce the typical small, dark purple fruits that create a very messy scene beneath the tree. The trees tend to have either male or female flowers on separate trees, and fruitlessness in ‘Firestarter’ was likely achieved by breeding for all male flowers.

What do you need to grow one? Nyssa sylvatica ‘Firestarter’ is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and moisture levels, but as the name suggests, it prefers more moisture if it can get it. It will even outperform other trees in compacted clay soils, making it a great native choice for an urban environment. It has also performed admirably in drier soil, so don’t let that stop you from planting one.