BLACKGUM - Nyssa sylvatica, Marsh.
BLACKGUM, A CLOSE relative to tupelo-gum, grows on better soils in the southeastern Ozarks. It tolerates shade and is frequently found growing with or under the oaks and pines.
Past woods fires have severely damaged most of the large gums. When the growing layer is destroyed, a creamy-white scar is produced, exposing fresh wood which may be later infected by wood-rotting fungi.
Leaves are alternate, simple, oval-elliptical shaped without teeth. In the summer they are shiny dark green above and downy below. Blackgum leaves are usually the first to turn a bright scarlet of purple in late summer, well before the first frost.
The bark is deeply fissured, becoming nearly black and developing into quadrangular blocks.
The blue plum-lie fruit has a stone or bit which is flattened, having 10 to 12 broad rounded ribs. Deer, wild turkey, mallards, ruffed grouse, and many songbirds eat the fruit or leaves.
Black gum logs are sawn into crating lumber, pallets, rollers and furniture stock. It is also used in papermaking. Although this tree is becoming more and more important on the timber scene, cull trees are still deadened and blackgum mixed with pine is usually removed to favor the more valuable pine. Some should be left where greater variety of wildlife food is needed.
