Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum/Tupelo) seeds

Beautiful ornamental tree with a symmetrical, conical habit and outstanding orange, red and yellow autumn foliage.  A slow grower to 10-15m, Nyssa will grow in most conditions and is very low maintenance.  In spring, produces tiny greenish-white flowers which are a rich source of nectar for bees, followed by dark blue fruits providing a valuable food source for birds and wildlife.  Fantastic for bonsai and a great container tree.

Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit

Hardy Tree
Flowers: Spring and fruit in summer
Height: 10-15m but prune to any size
Position: Sun or semi shade in any soil

Packet of 10 seeds

RHS Award of Garden Merit

This plant/cultivar has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit because it has proved to be reliable in appropriate conditions and a good performing plant. For more information on RHS award of Garden Merit plants visit rhs.org.uk/plants

GROWING GUIDE

Sowing Instructions:  Sow at any time of the year. Mix equal parts of good quality seed compost, eg. John Innes with vermiculite or perlite and sow seeds very thinly on the surface. Seal inside a polythene bag and place in the fridge for 12 weeks.  After this, move to a warmish place and maintain an optimum temperature of 10-15C.  Germination should take place in 3 months.  Note: Germination can be very erratic, so sow thinly and prick out the seedlings as they become large enough to handle disturbing the rest of the compost as little as possible.

An alternative method is to sow in pots as above during late summer to early winter then place in a cold frame and let nature take its course as the seasons change with the seedlings emerging the next spring.

Growing Instructions:  Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm pots and grow on in a cold frame or nursery bed for a year or two then plant in their final position in a sunny or semi shaded spot.