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.