Makin, Julie
Liquidambar styraciflua L.
Sweetgum, American sweetgum
Hamamelidaceae (Witch-Hazel Family)
A large, open-crowned
tree, sweet-gum grows 75 ft. tall in cultivation and up to 130 ft. in the wild. Large, aromatic
tree with straight trunk and conical crown that becomes round and spreading. Young trees are distinctly conical in form. The long, straight trunk is occasionally buttressed and bears strong, ascending branches. Glossy green,
deciduous leaves have five deep lobes making a star shape. Fall foliage is purple and red, and will become colorful even without cold temperatures. The
fruit is a globular, horny, woody ball, 1 in. in diameter, which hangs on a long
stem and persists through January.
An important timber
tree, Sweetgum is second in production only to oaks among hardwoods. It is a leading furniture wood, used for cabinetwork, veneer, plywood, pulpwood, barrels, and boxes. In pioneer days, a gum was obtained from the trunks by peeling the
bark and scraping off the resinlike solid. This gum was used medicinally as well as for chewing gum.Commercial storax, a fragrant resin used in perfumes and medicines, is from the related Oriental Sweetgum (
Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) of western Asia.
Image Gallery:
45 photo(s) available
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial Habit: Tree Leaf Complexity: Simple Breeding System: Flowers
Unisexual ,
Monoecious Leaf: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower:
Fruit: Brown
Size Class: 72-100 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , CT , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MA , MS , MO , NJ , NY , NC , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV , DC
Native Distribution: S. CT to s. IN, s. IL & s.e. MO, s. to s. FL, s.e. TX & s.e. OK; also Mex.
Native Habitat: Low, rich, moist woods; coastal plains
USDA Native Status: L48(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Deep, moist, alluvial loams. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Acid-based.
Conditions Comments: Sweet gum can become aggressive in moist, sandy soils. It is not drought-tolerant and does not do well is polluted areas or small areas which limit root development. It grows rapidly and is long-lived, adapting to a variety of sites. It is susceptible to iron chlorosis in soil which is too basic. Plant only in spring as roots take 3-4 months to recover from the shock of transplanting. Fruits do not readily decompose and and can jam reel mowers.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Fast growing, Attractive, Long-living, Fall conspicuous, Shade
tree Use Wildlife: Seed balls attract several bird species. Nesting site, Cover, Fruit-birds, Fruit-mammals
Use Medicinal: Comanches used unknown species as contraception. Used to suppress menstrual flow by Assiniboins. (Kindscher)
Tea made from leaves used to wash wounds, decoctim of roots from sweet gum and pennywort applied directly to wounds, balsam from sweet gum
bark is an astringent. (Weiner)
Attracts: Birds
2012-04-12
