The genus name Nyssa refers to a
Greekwater nymph.[8] The name tupelo, the common name used for Nyssa, is of Native American origin, coming from the
Creek words ito 'tree' and opilwa 'swamp'; it was in use by the mid-18th century.[9] This tree should not be confused with the
tulip poplar, Liriodendron sp.
Tupelo wood is used extensively by artistic
woodcarvers, especially for carving ducks and other wildfowl.[12] It power carves excellently and holds good detail in the end grain. In commerce, it is used for shipping containers and interior parts of furniture, and is used extensively in the
veneer and panel industry for crossbanding,
plywood cores, and backs.[13][14] The wood can be readily
pulped and is used for high-grade book and magazine papers.[15] In the past, the hollow trunks were used as "
bee gums" to hold
beehives.[16]
The Ogeechee Tupelo, sometimes referred to as the Ocheechee Lime, which is native to Georgia and north Florida produces an edible fruit in the form of a sour, oblong drupe.[17]
Honey
Tupelos of the species Nyssa ogeche are valued as
honey plants in the southeastern United States, particularly in the
Gulf Coast region.[18] They produce a very light, mild-tasting honey. In Florida,
beekeepers keep beehives along the river swamps on platforms or floats during tupelo bloom to produce certified tupelo honey, which commands a high price on the market because of its flavor.[18]Monofloral honey made from the nectar of Nyssa ogeche has such a high ratio of
fructose to
glucose that it does not crystallize.[19]
The
Apalachicola River in the
Florida panhandle is the center for tupelo honey. The honey is produced wherever tupelo trees (three species) bloom in southeastern USA, but the purest and most expensive version (which is certified by
pollen analysis) is produced in this valley. In a good harvest year, the tupelo honey crop produced by a group of specialized Florida beekeepers has a value approaching $1,000,000.[20]
Fossil record
Fruits conforming morphologically and anatomically to Nyssa have been identified from the
Campanian of
Alberta, Canada. The fruits conform to a kind that is common in the
Paleogene, formerly called Palaeonyssa.[21]
^Quintana, Michael G. Andreu, Melissa H. Friedman, Mary McKenzie, and Heather V. (2013-07-29).
"Nyssa aquatica, Water Tupelo". edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-21.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
^"Black Gum and Tupelo"(PDF). Purdue Extension. Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series. Purdue University. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
^Boning, Charles (2006). Florida's Best Fruiting Plants: Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs, and Vines. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, Inc. pp. 158–159.
^
ab"Tupelo". www.honey.com. National Honey Board. Archived from
the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.