Tupelo

The Tupelo is a beautiful shade tree with good fall color – usually bright red, but some trees are orange or wine red. An excellent lawn tree, it grows as a wide pyramid with branches mostly horizontal. Females bear ½-inch fruits that are dry and non-staining. You can’t tell a male from a female tree when it’s young.

Note that any tree grown in a lawn may develop surface roots unless irrigation is properly managed. Tree roots need both air and water in the root zone. Lawns are frequently overwatered, resulting in water-logged soil with no air in the root zone. Check your tree’s root zone to see if it is water-logged or too dry. The best method is to dig a small hole about 12 inches deep and look at the soil: if it is bone dry, there is not enough water; if it is muddy, there is too much water; if it is moist like a cake, it is just right. Alternatively, you can use an inexpensive moisture meter from your nursery or hardware store and look for a “moist” reading.