Black Tupelo

Black Tupelo is an unusual tree in the area but has been historically present here well before RTPI was established. A large Tupelo tree shows up on historic aerial photographs and would have been here when Roger Tory Peterson himself would tromp around the local forests and wetlands in the period of his youth that so inspired him in his life. This old, mature tree has passed on, but there remains a patch of its offspring; saplings that RTPI is actively nurturing and protecting. In addition to having attractive summer and fall foliage, Black Tupelos provide fruits that benefit wildlife, and their flowers are important sources of nutrients for early pollinating insects like bees.

(Image above courtesy of By Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA - Black Tupelo, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81223266)