The Black Gum is an excellent ornamental and deserves much consideration for use in the home landscape.
Some of its many attributes include:
- Excellent autumn color, with the leaves changing from orange to bright red to burgundy each fall.
- Its blueish black fruit matures from late September through mid-October and is relished by numerous species of songbirds.
- The Black Gum matures from 30 to 50 feet in height with an average width of 25 to 30 feet.
- The Black Gum grows at a rate of up to 1 foot per year and can be found in forested areas as far north as Maine and Michigan.
The leaves of the Black Gum are extremely consistent in their fall coloration from year to year.The Black Gum grows best in slightly acid soils (pH 5.5 to 6.5) and is equally at home in either full sun or partial shade. Without question, the Black Gum is one of our most attractive and noteworthy landscape trees!