Description

An excellent choice to support wildlife with spectacular fall color for us to enjoy! Oval shaped at maturity. Smooth, waxy, dark-green summer foliage changes to fluorescent yellow, orange, scarlet and purple in fall. Primarily dioecious (separate male and female trees), but each tree often has some perfect flowers. Small, greenish-white flowers on long stalks (female flowers in sparse clusters and male flowers in dense heads) look insignificant to us but delicious to bees. Flowers are followed by small bluish-black berries. Attracts birds, mammals. Special value to honey bees. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, this tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than 12″ to 24″ per year. Tolerates drought as well as standing water. A female and male tree are needed to produce berries. Height: 30-50 ft. Spread: 20-30 ft. Family: Nyssaceae Bloom time: May to June Sun: full sun to part shade Water: medium to wet Rain garden, shade tree According to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Nyssa sylvatica is deer resistant. photo credit: David J. Stang