Water Tupelo
Nyssa aquatica
Nhu Nguyen
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Nyssaceae
- Genus:
- Nyssa
- Species:
- Nyssa aquatica
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- More than 40 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr, may
- Bloom Colors:
- Green
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, wet, alluvial soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.0 (acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in floodplains and swamps
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Seeds are sown by hand in late April into prepared field beds.
Establishment: Seeds are purchased from local people who collect within a 50 mile radius of the nursery. Ripe fruits range in color from white to dark grey. Water tupelo is found throughout the coastal plains from Virginia to northern Florida and east to Texas, and north to Missouri and southern Illinois. Seed sources are from south central Missouri.
Source: npn.rngr.net