Black Gum Propagation from Seed

[Teeder]

Black Gum is one of the most abundant trees on my home property but there are none on my hunting property. I'd like to get a bunch going over there because the deer seem to love it. Has anyone started them from seed and how did you go about it?
I have plenty of seed available!

 

[chickenlittle]

Deer love it? It’s a huge part of our understory. I sure wish deer would mow the young ones down. I feel like I could spend all my time cutting them down and never finish.

 

[Teeder]

My young ones are browsed heavily.

 

[The Fishman]

I tried for two years to grow blackgums. I had really good germination by placing the cleaned seeds inside a bag or container with a damp paper towel and leave them in the fridge for a couple of months. My problem was that the seedlings would get two inches tall and then die. I finally gave up, but cold moist stratification on clean seeds led to good germination.

 

[DrDirtNap]

Black gum is a preferred browse species in my farm. Heavily browsed. It’s also a very slow growing tree.


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[TreeDaddy]

Perhaps bare root seedlings would be a better choice

They are/were available at MDC and Superior Trees (Lee,Fla)

They tend to sell out early

bill

 

[Teeder]

Perhaps bare root seedlings would be a better choice

They are/were available at MDC and Superior Trees (Lee,Fla)

They tend to sell out early

bill

I'm hoping to do with without any money into it.
I collected some seed yesterday. Think I'll keep some in the garage and plant in the spring and just toss the rest of these around my field edge and see what happens.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Good luck with them. In the fall, it's one of the two most colorful trees in the woods, IMO. Black gum and maples. The BG trees turn that bright, orangish-red color that sort-of "glows" in the sunlight. I've taken a number of sun-lit pics of BG trees. Don't know about other states, but it's an understory / edge tree here.

 

[Teeder]

I agree. They are beautiful. I've been meaning to move one to the front yard one of these years.

 

[TreeDaddy]

A bottomland tree here that is also a favorite of bees

bill

 

[Bowsnbucks]

A bottomland tree here that is also a favorite of bees

They grow on the highest ridge tops here, as well as in lowlands. In ridgetop terrain here ( 1200 to 2000 ft. above sea level ) they stand out in the fall as understory trees among oaks, maples, hickories, birch, and poplars. I wish that color lasted a few months longer!!!

I never noticed the bee attraction - but I wasn't looking for it in BG trees. I'll have to look closer in the spring.