F LORA & FAUNA
TUPELO
Nyssa sylvatica
Growing thirty to fifty feet tall and dioecious, it requires both a female and male tree to produce fruit. In fall, its brilliant scarlet foliage is spectacular. The fruit supplies crude fat, fiber, phosphorus, and calcium and is eaten by eighty-six species of song and game birds. It also serves as the larval host for twenty-six species of moths and butterflies, supporting wildlife throughout its life cycle and contributing significantly to the biodiversity of Southeastern forests and natural areas.
SPARKLEBERRY
Vaccinium arboreum
The only tree-sized blueberry, growing ten to twenty feet tall, it provides wide-ranging wildlife benefits. Its berries aren’ t especially tasty to us, but birds enjoy them and gain antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. It is also the larval host for the striped hairstreak and Henry’ s elfin butterflies and supports seven specialist bees. With its sturdy form, dependable fruit, and ecological value, sparkleberry is a meaningful native addition to woodland edges, understory plantings, and naturalized landscapes across the Southeast.
82 • CONSERVANCY OF THE SEA ISLANDS