Swamp Tupelo
Nyssa biflora
Also known as: Bear Tupelo
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Nyssaceae
- Genus:
- Nyssa
- Species:
- Nyssa biflora
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- More than 40 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar, apr, may, sep, oct, nov
- Bloom Colors:
- Not Applicable
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, 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
Actrix dissimulatrix, Antispila nysaefoliella, Azalea sphinx (Darapsa choerilus), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americana), Ectoedemia nyssaefoliella, Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), false prominent (Schizura leptinoides), False Underwing Moth (Allotria elonympha), Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Hebrew moth (Polygrammate hebraeicum), Luna moth (Actias luna), Morrisonia latex, Regal Moth (Citheronia regalis), skiff moth (Prolimacodes badia), tupelo leaffolder moth (Actrix nyssaecolella), White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, rich, acidic loamy soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in wetlands and swampy areas
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o