Nyssa aquatica is a specialist of places most trees cannot tolerate: permanently flooded river bottoms and coastal swamps of the southeastern United States, where it develops a characteristic swollen trunk base that anchors it in unstable, saturated soils. The crown is narrow and open, the leaves large and shiny, and in autumn the foliage turns a clear yellow before dropping. Female trees produce large, pendulous fruits attractive to wildlife. It is mostly dioecious, and including a male tree ensures fruit set on female specimens.

This is not a tree for the average suburban yard: a long taproot makes transplanting difficult, and specimens eventually reach 60 to 100 feet with trunks 3 to 4 feet in diameter. It earns its place in naturalized riparian plantings, large rain gardens, and landscapes that include a pond, wetland edge, or low-lying area that floods regularly. Bees are significant visitors during its spring bloom, and the honey produced from tupelo nectar in this region is considered among the finest in North America.