Nyssa sylvatica Black tupelo, Black gum, Sourgum
2013 Plant of the Year, Honorable Mention
Proposed by: Millbrook Garden Club, Zone III
This stately tree grows on rocky woodland slopes. Its fruit and berries attract beneficial insects and birds. In the autumn the leaves turn spectacular colors. Hardy in USDA Zone 4 to 9, it can reach 50 feet tall at maturity.