1. Columnar tree of eastern North America having horizontal limbs and small leaves that emerge late in spring and have brilliant colour in early fall
   "The black gum's scarlet autumn foliage lit up the forest edge";
   - sour gum, pepperidge, Nyssa sylvatica
    
2. A small mallee with rough dark-coloured bark toward the butt; yields a red eucalyptus kino gum
   "The black gum's dark bark contrasts with its pale upper trunk";
   - black mallee, black sally, Eucalyptus stellulata

Derived forms: black gums

Type of: mallee, tupelo, tupelo tree

Encyclopedia: Black gum