VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Nyssa sylvatica | Black Tupelo 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Black tupelo wood is used mainly for lumber, veener, paper pulp, and to
some extent for railroad ties [10,50].  The veneer is used mainly for
boxes, crates, baskets, furniture, and interior woodwork.  Because of
its toughness, black tupelo is also used for flooring, rollers in glass
factories, blocks, gunstocks, and pistol grips [15,52].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Black tupelo sprouts are commonly browsed by white-tailed deer but lose
palatability with age [8,16,30].  The fruit is high in nutrients and is
eaten by a variety of birds and mammals [4,27,37].


PALATABILITY : 
Stumps sprouts of black tupelo are reported to be a moderate to high
palatability browse to white-tailed deer [16,30].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Percent mean nutrient values of black tupelo on unburned plots in
southern pine forests were as follows [36]:

                                  N-free 
season    protein   fat   fiber   extract   ash   phosphorus   calcium 
 
summer    7.64     2.33   32.84   44.01     2.63     0.06       1.10


COVER VALUE : 
Black tupelo provides cavity and nesting sites for a variety of birds
and mammals [3,7,29].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Because of its straight bole, shapely crown, and attractive autumn
foliage, black tupelo is often planted as an ornamental.  Bees utilize
the nectar from the flowers of black and swamp tupelo to produce honey
[44,51].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Silviculture:  Seedling establishment of black tupelo is best
accomplished by the shelterwood method.  Regeneration can also be
accomplished by clearcutting if it follows a good seed fall or if
advanced regeneration is already established [9,18,].  Silvicultural
practices for regenerating black tupelo have been described [25].

Animal damage:  Due to the high palatability of seedling and sprouts,
black tupelo can be eliminated or greatly reduced when deer populations
are high [16].

Insects and diseases:  The two most important insects that attack black
tupelo are the tupelo leaf miner (Antispila nyssaefoliella) and the
forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria).  Infestation of these
insects cause growth loss and occasional mortality.  Fire scars often
serve as entry points for a large number of heart rot fungi [44].

Control:  Black tupelo and other hardwoods often compete with loblolly
and shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda and P. echinata) stands for water and
light, reducing their growth and development [28].  Basal tree
injections of black tupelo with the herbicide DOWCO 23 was reported to
be the most effective, resulting in ninety-nine percent crown kill [34].
       

Related categories for Species: Nyssa sylvatica | Black Tupelo