Arkansas Tree Database

Scientific name:

Nyssa Sylvatica

Size:

45' tall by 35' wide, up to 100' tall

Leaves:

alternate, simple, with smooth margins or a few coarse teeth; shiny dark green

Flowers:

greenish, inconspicuous

Fruit:

blue-black berry-like fruit (called a drupe) eaten by birds and mammals; edible for humans but sour with a big seed

Fall Interest:

exceptional and reliable red; deciduous

Culture:

sun to partial sun; moist, deep, well-drained, acidic soil; adaptable; slow growing; difficult to transplant because of taproot

Disease/Insect:

minor leaf spot

Use:

lawn tree, shade tree, street tree in residential area but not polluted area; good source for honey

Cultivars:

Notes:

bark grayish brown to black, thick and broken into irregular blocks giving "alligator hide" appearance; one of the best and most consistent native trees for fall color; older trees often hollow, providing sites for animal dens and wild bee colonies; native to Arkansas