Tomorrow’s the first day of autumn. That’s got me thinking of what trees are going to be doing in the next several weeks. So many leaves. Leaves that will be turning the most exquisite warm colors of the color wheel. Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is one that comes to mind.

It’s a standout in its ability to go from rich emerald to an intense scarlet.

Those alternate and simple leaves are a bit thick and quite glossy on their top surface. The rich fall color a pure knockout.

Black Gum is a medium sized slow growing deciduous tree. This tree is happy in full sun and part shade and though it likes wet soil and will even grow in water-logged areas it does grow in dry areas too. So you can find it most anywhere up to an elevation of 3,000 feet.

Black Gum can live to be 650 years old, helping bees in the production of honey and providing berries for a multitude of birds. Native to eastern North America, from Southern Ontario to Florida and Texas. Its bark is said to be alligator hide like. The branches emerge from the trunk at very close to a 90 degree angle which I find to be a good way to help identify this species of tree. But give me an autumn day and I’ll pick out those luscious brilliant scarlet leaves. For me a dead giveaway.