Resources < Wildlife Habitats < Native Plants < Native Plant Database < Nyssa ogeche

Ogeechee-lime
Ogeechee Tupelo
Nyssa ogeche

Ogeechee-lime is a beautiful little tree found in swamps in Georgia’s lower Coastal Plain but seldom seen in gardens. The reason it’s so rarely included in the home landscape is that only a few nurseries grow it—and that’s a shame because it’s a wonderful ornamental. The bark is pale and fissured, often decorated with clouds of lichen, and large buttressed trunks are common in wet spots. The dense, drooping branches are lovely hanging over a creek or stream. In summer the leaves are long, lush, shiny, and so dark they can look almost black. Fall color is dazzling. The plump, glossy late-summer fruits look a lot like dates but taste more like limes. Use the fruits in cooking as a lime substitute or simply enjoy their beauty as they ripen from green to blush pink to wine red.

Family: Nyssaceae (Tupelo Family)

Description: A small to medium-sized deciduous tree with dark green, egg-shaped leaves four to six inches long. Dense, pendulous clusters of small white flowers appear in spring. Date-shaped fruits, each about one and a half inches long, ripen to red in late summer or early fall; they are found only on female trees. Fall leaf color is yellow, red, and purple.

Size: 40 feet tall and 25 feet wide.

Habit: Pyramid-shaped in youth, becoming wider and more spreading with age. In wet areas, the trunk tends to become swollen at the base.

Growth Rate: Moderate.

Light: Full sun to part shade.

Planting and Care: In the wild, Ogeechee-lime is usually found along streams and in low-lying areas that experience seasonal flooding. Not surprisingly, it’s a great choice for a wet spot in the garden. But for those of you without a wetland in your backyard, take heart: Ogeechee-lime is highly adaptable and performs just as well in ordinary garden soil.

Ornamental Value: Assets include lush, dark green leaves in summer, breathtaking fall color, and abundant, showy fruits on female trees.

Landscape Usage: Plant in small groups for maximum visual impact and good fruit set.

Wildlife Benefits: Dense foliage provides excellent nesting and escape cover for birds. Fruits are eaten by wood ducks, possums, otters, and raccoons.

Native Habitat: Found along rivers and streams in Georgia’s Coastal Plain.

Propagation: Harvest seed in late summer/early fall and sow immediately. 

Text and photo by Leslie Kimel, Georgia Wildlife Federation