Leaf Color Range

Also known as the “black tupelo” or “pepperidge,” this handsome ornamental is also a honey plant. It produces a berry-like fruit which is a particular favorite of birds and other wildlife. It has a dense, cone-shaped or sometimes flat-topped crown with many slender, nearly horizontal branches. Although not widely planted in Pittsburgh, stop by Allegheny Commons near the Aviary in October to see this tree in its brilliant fall color.

Height: 50’-100’
Leaves: 2”-5” long, 1”-3” wide. Elliptical or oblong; not toothed, often crowded on short twigs. Shiny green above; pale and often hairy beneath, turning a bright red in early autumn.
Habitat: In hardwood and pine forests in both uplands and valleys with moist soils. Central Michigan to Maine; south to Florida and west to Texas.