Plant Profile: Nyssa sinensis

This tree hails from Asia. In the spring, its fresh leaves appear in a striking bronze-purple hue, transitioning to green throughout the growing season, and then showcasing vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and red in the autumn. It thrives in marginal soils that are excessively wet for most other tree species. The blue fruits it produces can create a bit of a mess in the fall.

Known in cultivation as a more compact variant of its relative, N. sylvatica (the black tupelo), the Chinese Tupelo, like both species, is native to swamps and wetlands and thrives in moist environments.