Black gum ‘Wildfire’
* Common name: Blackgum (a.k.a. tupelo) ‘Wildfire’
* Botanical name: Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wildfire’
Blackgum ‘Wildfire.’
* What it is: A fairly fast-growing native shade tree with superb bright-scarlet fall foliage as well as red new foliage in spring. Won 2013 Gold Medal Plant Award from Pa. Horticultural Society.
* Size: 50-60 feet tall, 20-25 feet wide.
* Where to use: Rivals maples as one of the showiest fall-foliage trees, so use as a specimen shade tree where you’ve got at least 25 feet across. Full sun to part shade and prefers moist soil.
* Care: Keep the roots consistently damp the first 2 to 3 seasons to establish the roots, then soak deeply once a week in very hot, dry weather. Remove lowest limbs as the tree grows to expose more of the trunk. Crossing or unwanted branches can be removed mid to late winter. Fertilizer usually not needed, especially if you’re fertilizing the lawn nearby.
* Great partner: Golden sedge makes a contrasting, low, damp-soil, golden underplanting, especially in fall. Russian cypress is a good low evergreen partner, so long as the soil isn’t too damp.
— George Weigel