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Gum Bumelia or Gum Bully
Sideroxylon lanuginosa |
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General:
Gum Bumelias are
deciduous, native trees, relatively small in size, up to12 m.
(40ft.). The branches grow close to theground, but give the tree
an open crown. Twigsare somewhat zigzag in appearanceand have
small thorns. The species name, lanuginosa, means wooly or downy,
referring to the downytwigs andundersides of the leaves.
Their attractive
foliage, fragrant flowers, tasty fruit and an adaptabilityto mostwell
drained soil types make them worthy landscape plants suitable
fortoday’ssmaller homes.
The sweet sap was
reported to be chewed by Native American children. The fruit
attracts birds, squirrels andmammals and is edible to man if eaten in
small quantities.
Flowers/Fruit:
Small, fragrant white
flowers are borne in clusters at leaf axils during thespring.
These are followed by edible,fleshy, black drupes (berries) about 10
cm. (1/2 in.) long. They contain a single seed which should
beplanted as soon as the fruit ripens.
Leaves/Stems:
The alternate leaves
are often clustered or whorled on lateral spurs. From 2-8 cm (1-3
in.) long, they areoblanceolate to ovate with rounded tips.
Theupper surfaces are dark green andshiny, while underneath they
aredensely covered with rusty or whitish felt-like hairs. This
pubescence distinguishes them fromallother similar species.
The bark is gray to brown, becoming darker with age. Thestems are often zigzag, pubescent andguarded with spines.
Distribution:
They seem to prefer
dry, sandy soils along the ridges as far south ascentral Florida.
Theymay also be found in Georgia, to Texas and up the Mississippi
Valley to southern Illinois.
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