American Sweetgum Sweet Gum Tree Leaves

The sweetgum produces greenish flowers covered with fine hairs and its fruit resembles small sticker balls or burr balls which are eaten by birds and chipmunks.

American sweetgum sweet gum tree leaves. Sweetgum is a pioneer species often found after an area has been logged or clearcut and one of the most common tree species in the eastern united states. However it can be prone to certain diseases. American sweetgum are deciduous trees prized for their star shaped leaves that turn a mix of brilliant fall colors. In height and 4 ft.

In the autumn the star shaped leaves turn brilliant. It grows to 75 feet in height and prefers full sun in zones 5 to 9 which includes all but the very northern and southern parts of the united states. Sweet gum a tree of the witch hazel family hamamelidaceae native of the eastern united states also mexico and central america. The sweetgum is a fast growing tree that develops a significant taproot that tolerate high moisture levels in soil.

Sweet gum trees are native to the eastern u s but grow well throughout u s. Deep glossy green star shaped leaves mark the sweetgum. American sweetgum also known as american storax hazel pine bilsted redgum satin walnut star leaved gum alligatorwood or simply sweetgum is a deciduous tree in the genus liquidambar native to warm temperate areas of eastern north america and tropical montane regions of mexico and central america. Liquidambar commonly called sweetgum star gum in the uk gum redgum satin walnut or american storax is the only genus in the flowering plant family altingiaceae and has 15 species.

It is recognizable by the combination. It is a deciduous tree that can be found in southeastern u s as well as southern mexico and central america. It is one of the 100 most common trees in north america. The sweetgum is a monoecious species and is.

Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9 in full sun. They range in color from green to yellow to deep red. The tree prefers moist slightly acidic soil but. They were formerly often treated in hamamelidaceae.

If you re afraid of the messy gumballs or seed pods produced by many sweetgums look for a non fruiting variety of this popular tree. Sweet gum is one of the main valuable forest trees in the southeastern united states and is a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates. Leaves turn yellow purple red in the fall and stay on the tree quite late. It is used for its lumber and is one of the most common sources of hardwood and plywood but also produces spectacular colors as it drops its leaves in the fall.

The star like leaf has 5 or 7 lobes or points and turns from green in summer to yellow or purple in autumn. Along the rivers of the south eastern united states sweet gums exceed 125 ft. The american sweet gum tree is also called liquidambar. Sweetgum leaves are star shaped with five sometimes seven long pointed lobes whose veins connect to a notched base.

It is a popular street tree and is prized for its flashy display of fall foliage. They are decorative deciduous trees that are used in the wood industry and for ornamental purposes. Liquidambar styraciflua is known as the american sweetgum. Grows 60 70 with a 45 spread.

The deeply cut grey or brownish grey bark forms winged projections on the twigs. Sweetgum are native to the southeastern united states and belong to the altingiaceae family.