Wood: Wood
is brownish-gray, close-grained, hard, strong, moderately heavy and
it has fibers that interlock, making it extremely tough to split
and resistant to abrasion. It is used for boxes and crates, chopping bowls
and ox yokes.
Wildlife: The black tupelo gum is important to wildlife. The fruit is eaten by ducks and other birds, as well as by black bears and foxes. Deer and beaver feed on the foliage and bark respectively. The hollow trunks provide shelter for rodents, nesting birds, insects and hibernating bears. The tupelo is valued as a honey source plant.
Horticulture: This species forms a good specimen and shade tree for use in urban plantings and naturalized sites. It is a consistently rewarding native tree for good fall color. The narrow-leafed tupelo (N. sylvatica var. biflora) grows primarily in swamps and bottomlands.
