Black Gum or swamp tupelo is a small tree of Atlantic and Gulf coastal plain swamps, with a more slender form and smaller fruit than the related black tupelo. Its blue-black berries are an important fall food for many migrating birds. The wood is extremely rot-resistant and was used for railroad cross ties. It tolerates prolonged flooding.
Habitat
Coastal plain swamps, pocosins, and wet flatwoods of the southeastern US
Diet
Berries eaten by many migrating songbirds and resident birds
How common
Common
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