Nyssa ogeche facts for kids
Nyssa ogeche, often called Ogeechee tupelo, is a special kind of tree. It's also known as white tupelo, river lime, ogeechee lime tree, sour gum, or wild lime. This tree loses its leaves every year, just like many trees do in the fall. It can grow up to 15 meters (about 50 feet) tall.
Its flowers bloom from March to May, and busy bees help pollinate them. The seeds are ready between August and October. Many animals love this tree, making it a great spot for wildlife!
Quick facts for kids Nyssa ogeche |
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| Tupelo ogeche trees on the Suwannee river, north. | |
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Nyssa
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| Species: |
ogeche
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| Native Habitat and Range | |
Where the Ogeechee Tupelo Lives
The Ogeechee tupelo tree loves wet places. You'll often find it growing right next to rivers, in swamps, or by ponds. These are places that often get flooded with water.
It naturally grows in the southeastern United States. You can see it from the coast of South Carolina, through the Ogeechee Valley in Georgia, and into northern and western Florida. It grows a lot along the Ogeechee, Altamaha, and Suwannee Rivers. You can also find it in some wet flatwood areas between the Choctawhatchee and Wakulla Rivers in Florida.
The Ogeechee Lime Fruit
The fruit of the Ogeechee tupelo tree is called Ogeechee lime. When it's ripe, it has a slightly sour taste. People use this fruit to make tasty preserves. You can also use its juice as a substitute for regular lime juice.
The fruit grows in small groups of two or three. Each fruit can be up to 4 centimeters long. It has a thick, juicy, and very sour inside. Inside the fruit, there is just one seed.
Tupelo Honey
The Ogeechee tupelo tree is very important for honeybees. Many thousands of acres of these trees have been planted. You can find these tree farms along the lower Apalachicola River and in swamps where the trees grow naturally.
Bees collect nectar from the Ogeechee tupelo flowers. From this nectar, they make a special kind of honey. This delicious honey is famous and is known as "tupelo honey."
