Water Tupelo
Nyssa aquatica · hardwood · Southeastern US · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 880 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 35 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.5 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 7.6%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.2%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.8 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes The swamp-grown tupelo whose light root wood is prized by decoy carvers; the upper log works like blackgum.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for water tupelo across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.098″) | 1/16″ (0.054″) |
| 12″ | 3/16″ (0.195″) | 3/32″ (0.108″) |
| 24″ | 13/32″ (0.391″) | 7/32″ (0.216″) |
| 36″ | 19/32″ (0.586″) | 5/16″ (0.324″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to water tupelo:
Typical swings:
Water Tupelo questions
How much does water tupelo move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn water tupelo board moves about 3/16″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 7.6% and radial 4.2% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is water tupelo?
Water Tupelo rates about 880 lbf on the Janka scale — softer than red oak but sturdy (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 35 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is water tupelo good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.8:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is moderate. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Hackberry · Slippery Elm · Black Ash · Paper Birch · Bigleaf Maple · Sweetgum
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.