Afterburner® Black Sour Gum Tupelo Tree

The exact selection page identifies Afterburner® Tupelo as Nyssa sylvatica ‘David Odom’. This cultivar has an upright pyramidal-to-oval crown, reaching about 35 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Its glossy bright green summer foliage turns bright red in fall, and the profile lists USDA zone 5 and blue-black fruit. ## Garden Use This named black gum selection is suited to spacious landscapes where its structured crown and strong autumn color can be appreciated. Its fruiting and seasonal traits are those of the exact named selection; general species information from North Carolina Extension describes black gum’s moisture preferences and broader fall-color variation. ## Growing Conditions Plant in full sun and provide moist, well-drained soil, especially while the tree establishes. Nyssa sylvatica also tolerates a range of soil moisture in the wild, but the species profile describes moist, acidic soils as preferred. The JFS listing supplies a minimum hardiness reference of USDA zone 5 rather than a full upper-to-lower range. ## Maintenance Allow ample rooting and crown space, and water during establishment or prolonged drought. See the [JFS Afterburner® Tupelo profile](https://jfschmidt.com/all-trees/afterburner-tupelo/) and [North Carolina Extension black gum profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nyssa-sylvatica/common-name/black-gum/) for selection and species information.