Pruning of lower branches is common as they droop when tree is 10 + years of age. Black Gum hardwood tree grows to a reason al by medium height of 70-80 feet tall. Although oak is a little stronger, oak also weighs 30 percent more.Interlocked grain means that splitting is very difficult. Overall shrinkage from green to 6 percent MC is 6.2 percent tangentially (the width in flatsawn lumber) and 3.5 percent radially (the thickness of flatsawn lumber). Nyssa sylvatica, commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and eastern Texas, as well as Mexico . Sweet gum trees are found throughout the eastern United States. The fact was, that once down, a black gum log was nearly impossible to split with tools at hand. Some of the trees are over 400 years old. And while modern tools and cutting edges can surmount this obstacle, even the sharpest ax and the most expertly wielded froe of yesteryear made little headway splitting it. 'dimension6': 'track', 84 Total Views. Janka Hardness: 800 lb f (3,570 N) Modulus of Rupture: 9,500 lb f /in 2 (65.5 MPa) Black Gum is a slow to medium grower and can grow a foot a year. If the lumber is quartersawn, blackgum exhibits a very attractive figure. Machining and gluing. Fruits are available August-October. If over-dried, the wood appears to be quite brittle. Grain and color. They are frequently confused with the similar leaves of Common Persimmon. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; 1 Total Ads. These hollow trees become home to animals, many uses for … Black Gum is a splendid ornamental tree of pyramidal shape and beautiful green leaves. The wood, which is mostly heartwood, is grayish brown to a light brown with hints of yellow at times. The wood of the black gum has fibers not only interwoven but twisted to boot. Snow Gum Tree, also known as ghost gum or weeping gum. View More. Bags of wood can also be arranged. Skip to primary navigation; ... Wood: The wood is pale yellow-colored, very heavy, strong, and hard. In the past, blackgum was used for oxen yokes and chopping bowls due to the toughness resulting from the interlocked grain. gtag('config', 'AW-799896374'); //-->