Water Tupelo

Water Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica)

Common names: Water Tupelo, Tupelo-gum

Distribution : Southeastern United States

Color/appearance : Sapwood is very wide, and is generally a pale yellow color, sometimes with a grayish cast. Heartwood is narrower, and is a medium brown to gray. Quartersawn surfaces exhibit ribbon-stripe patterning due to interlocked grain.

Janka hardness: 870 lb_f

Density: 2.83 lb_f

Shrinkage: 1

Radial (thickness): 4.2%

Tangential (width): 7.6%,

Volumetric (total): 12.5%,

T/R Ratio (width to depth): 1.8

Allergies/Toxicity: 1 Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with Water Tupelo.

Sustainability: CITES: No, IUCN: No

Common Uses: Carving, furniture, crates/boxes, and utility wood.