The leaf margin is serrated. Deep, glossy green star-shaped leaves mark the Sweetgum. Its shape is pyramidal, becoming more rounded with age. Sweet gum is one of the main valuable forest trees in the southeastern United States, and is a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates. The American sweetgum is a bottomland species commonly growing 75 feet in height with a more or less pyramidal form. It is glossy green in the spring and summer, turning to vivid red, yellow and even purple in the fall. Use enter to activate. It can be an excellent shade tree in the right location, away from foot traffic where the spiky "gumball" fruits will not be an annoyance. Maple leaves resemble sweetgum leaves and each other in their palmate shape. Because of wide geographical range, it is important to use northern nursery sources. Sweet-gum is known for its unique star-shaped leaves with outstanding yellow, red, and purple fall color. The greenish flowers are inconspicuous, because they are of the same color as the leaves and sprout together. This leaf is borne on corky-winged limbs and the bark is gray-brown, deeply furrowed with narrow ridges. American sweetgum can reach 80 feet in height at maturity, with a spread of about 60 feet. Along the rivers of the south-eastern United States, Sweet gums exceed 125 ft. in height and 4 ft. in diameter. The tree has a slim crown and is also often found in private gardens, because it has beautiful autumn colors. The fruit is a conspicuous spiked ball that hangs in clusters. It can be an excellent shade tree in the right location, away from foot traffic where the spiky "gumball" fruits will not be an annoyance. In the fall, leaves … Moraine sweet-gum (Liquidambar styraciflua 'Moriane'). Slender Sil… Sweetgum leaves are palmate, or flat and hand-shaped, with five or sometimes seven pointed lobes with serrated edges. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. Slow to establish. The Sweetgum comes from North America. The sweet gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) is one of the most common trees found in the forests of Hilton Head Island. Sweet Gum. If an appropriate space is available, check out the cold-hardy cultivar, 'Moraine', which is recommended for northern Illinois. Considered messy especially near sidewalks and patios. Fruits are a dehiscent capsule and persist into winter. Stop by, email, or call. The star-shaped leaves are lustrous green in summer, turning dark red in fall. The dark to medium glossy green leaves change to a kaleidoscope of yellow, red, purple tones in the fall. Sweet gum leaves are star shaped with between five and seven pointed lobes with veins that connect to a notched base. Male flowers are upright, reddish-green in terminal panicles. The leaves of the Sweetgum is hand shaped, lobed with typically five leaf tips. The leaves, which are five-lobed and shaped like stars, provide excellent fall foliage color. Its glossy, dark green, star shaped leaves take on an unpredictable array of colors in the fall, ranging from clear yellow to orange, red or burgundy. The clefts between the lobes are deep, reaching almost all the way to the leaf margin. For example, some leaves appear long and narrow; then there are those that look like needles. The sweet gum resembles a maple tree, and in the summer, the star-shaped leaves and sturdy trunk are impressive, if easily overlooked. The fruits are spiky capsule fruits that contain up to 40 capsules. The sweetgum is a typical southern bottomland tree that occurs most abundantly on moist, rich, alluvial soils in association with many other species in valleys, swamps, and near ponds and streams. It can be found throughout most of the United States as a forest tree in the Southeast and an ornamental in gardens and cities. Sweet gum … The leaves are a shade of dark green at the top, getting lighter in hue when receding through the length of the leaf. Fall color yellow-orange. From shop MythicalDesigns. Leaf scars come in many shapes and sizes. Foliage turns yellow to burgundy in fall. They can be in a finger-like arrangement, or … This makes them the perfect species of tree for reforestation projects. Not native to North America this sweet gum gets its common name from the sap that oozes from any wounds on the tree. Yellow to … Young trees have a conical form; older trees are gracefully spreading, with scaly, dark gray bark. These leaves are fragrant if bruised. The leaves have a similar shape, and the fall foliage color, well, that's bright and festive, just like a maple. You can see the Sweetgum's leaf scar at the base of a bud below: On some trees, the branches are \"winged,\" as on winged euonymus (burning bush), displaying corky flanges. Sweet-gum is known for its unique star-shaped leaves with outstanding yellow, red, and purple fall color. Leaves have a camphor-like smell when crushed. Resembling the maple leaf in shape, the leaves of Liquidambar species are palmately lobed and arranged spirally on the twigs, and variegated cultivars are available. Common Facts . Sweet gums have a conical or rounded form. Sweet Gum trees have a star-shaped leaf with five points. Latin Name: The Latin name for this tree species is Liquidambar styraciflua.It is a member of the Altingiaceae family and is sometimes classified in the Hamamelidaceae (witch hazel) family. Liquidambar should be planted in full sun to achieve best color, in neutral to acid soil that is moist but well-drained. Bronze Shiny Christmas Tree , Cone Shaped Antique Gold Tree, Made of Natural Seed Pods Pincapallina. In Autumn, the leaves generally turn a reddish-purple or orange color. Within a submenu, use escape to move to top level menu parent. Although in the wild it's often found in damp soil, it adapts to a range of soils. This cultivar of Sweetgum grows in a narrow pyramid to a height of 75 feet and may spread to 50 feet. Explore this online platform for Chicago-area residents to share their favorite stories about trees. The beautifully glossy, star-shaped leaves turn bright red, purple, yellow or orange in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7) and early winter (USDA hardiness zones 8 and 9). 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. Description: The star-like leaf has 5 or 7 lobes or points and turns from green in summer to yellow or purple in autumn. Sweet Gum. From top level menus, use escape to exit the menu. Altingiaceae (sweet gums) (formerly Hamamelidaceae) Description : Sweet gum is a large tree with a long, cylindrical trunk, pyramidal crown, and corky wings on branches and twigs. Monoecious. A large tree where ample room is provided. In some cases, at the peak of the fall foliage season, certain leaves may be red, others purple, others yellow, and still others orange (all on the same plant). Slender Silhouette is a beanpole of a plant, growing 50 feet tall or higher, with a spread of 5 feet at the base. Deep green leaves have, as the cultivar name suggests, distinctively rounded lobes (5-7). Our communities. Use up and down arrow keys to explore within a submenu. The wood of this aromatic tree species is exceptionally workable, and it is one of North America's most widely planted timber trees. | Unique foliage has rounded lobes, unlike other sweetgums turning hues of purple in autumn. The sweet gum tree is most well known for its star shaped leaves that turn shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple in the fall. This tree is often planted in parks where its height, ranging from 70-120 feet, and sprawling branches, spreading 40-50 feet, create shade for visitors. The common name of sweet gum refers to an aromatic balsam or gum that exudes from wounds to the tree. 26. The glossy, dark green, star shaped leaves take on an wonderful array of colors in the fall, ranging from clear yellow to orange, red or burgundy. It is recognizable by the combination of its five-po single tree or planting in groups, parks, urban green, back to trees by common name | trees by botanical name | conifers by common name | conifers by botanical name | German: baumportal.de, © Jost Benning  | Imprint | jowaca digital solutions. Non-showy, drooping female flowers are yellowish-green in early spring. On some trees, particularly in the northern part of its range, branches are covered with characteristic corky projections. Deciduous. Leaf Type: Simple Leaf Arrangement: Alternate Leaf Shape: Deltoid Palmasect Leaf Margin: Dentate Serrate Hairs Present: No Leaf Length: 3-6 inches Leaf Width: 3-6 inches Leaf Description: The Sweetgum tree has alternate, simple, serrate, palmate venation, glossy, deciduous, long-stalked, deep green leaves (4-8” across) with toothed margins. ), palmate; acuminate tips and cordate to truncate bases. The beautifully glossy, star-shaped leaves turn bright red-purple in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7) and early winter (USDA hardiness zones 8 and 9). The Morton Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the generosity of members and donors. Leaves turn yellow-purple-red in the fall, and stay on the tree quite late. When a deciduous leaf naturally breaks from its twig in autumn, it leaves a leaf scar. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. They are star-shaped and have palm-shaped lobes. 'Rotundiloba' is a narrowly pyramidal, deciduous tree which typically grows 60-75' tall (less frequently to 100'). The leaf will have a saw-tooth or serrated edge. The leaves are arranged in an alternating structure. The following menu has 3 levels. The alternate, palmate, shiny leaves have usually five pointed, finely toothed lobes, and are fragrant when bruised. Natural Areas Conservation Training Program, Black walnut toxicity (plants tolerant of), Preventing construction damage to trees and shrubs, Trees and shrubs for the four seasons landscape, Sudden Oak Death, Ramorum Blight and Phytophthora ramorum, Eastern United States Wetlands Collection. Full sun. The branches are light brown and often corky. Sweet Gum Healing. Emerald Sentinel® sweet-gum (Liquidambar styraciflua 'Clydesform'): A narrow-pyramidal shape; grows 30 feet high and 12 feet wide. You can search, browse, and learn more about the plants in our living collections by visiting our BRAHMS website. The trees’ spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. The bark on the trunk is deeply furrowed. The deeply cut grey or brownish-grey bark forms winged projections on the twigs. Get expert help from The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic. 50 AMERICAN SWEETGUM Liquidambar Styraciflua Storax Alligator Sweet Gum Tree Seeds - Great Fall Color! Sweetgum grows in a narrow pyramid to a height of 75 feet and may spread to 50 feet. It is faster growing and a more cold hardy cultivar appropriate for the Chicago region. A single family member has a consistency in leaf shape that a group of relatives does not. Iron chlorosis can be a problem in high pH soils. Transplant difficult due to shallow, fleshy root system. It ranges from the southwestern part of Connecticut to central Florida, west to Texas and north to Southern Illinois. It maintains a remarkable degree of uniformity as it grows upward with the top of the column about the same width as the base. The American sweetgum is a large shade tree with an ovular shape. The leaf margin is serrated. In the winter, you will also be able to recognize this tree by the spherical, dark brown, and spiky gumballs that often litter the surrounding area. ... Alternate, simple star-shaped leaves with 3 lobes (instead of the 5-7 lobes of other Liquidambar spp. Our future. Have tree and plant questions? Liquidambar styraciflua, commonly called sweet gum, is a low-maintenance deciduous shade tree that is native from Connecticut to Florida and Missouri further south to Texas, Mexico and Central America. This handsome shade or street tree has a narrow form in youth, more rounded with age. Browse the curated collection and add your voice! The upper side of the leaf is a dark green, while the under-side of the leaf is a pale green color. The American Sweetgum (or "Sweet Gum") tree is popular all over the world as a shade tree, but this variegated version doubles as a dazzling ornamental tree, too. If an appropriate space is available, check out the cold-hardy cultivar, 'Moraine', which is recommended for northern Illinois. The resinous sap running from the wounded bark was previously used in chewing gum production. sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) leaf underside, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) leaves, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) flower, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) flowers, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) terminal bud, Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) axial bud, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) tree in winter, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) autumn foliage, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) tree in summer. The foliage is palmate, like a maple leaf, but more deeply lobed and star shaped. Alternate, maple-like, star shaped leaves are 5 to 7 lobed and 4 to 8 inches long and wide with serrate margins. In Missouri, it typically occurs in moist low woods and along streams only in the far southeastern corner of the state (Steyermark). It is an easy tree to identify, as it has a leaf that is shaped like the palm of your hand, with 5 lobes for "fingers." The leaves are deciduous (they fall off the tree in autumn) and turn bright yellow before falling. The sweet gum got its name for … The sweetgum tree is very fast growing and is highly resistant to insects. Mature trees have a grayish brown, deeply furrowed bark with narrow ridges. As a pioneer species, sweetgum is also common on abandoned fields and logged or clearcut areas, where it frequently forms dense thickets. © Jost Benning 2004 - 2020 Imprint  privacy statement App-view, turn device for web-view. From shop Pincapallina ... Sculpted Leather Sweet Gum Leaf Ornament MythicalDesigns. The leaves emit a foul smell if crushed or damaged. Uses for a Sweet Gum Tree. Sweet gum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua) are a common sight in the eastern United States and in several Central American and southern Mexican regions. Building the urban forest for 2050. Slender Silhouette sweet-gum (Liquidambar styraciflua 'Slender Silhouette'):  A narrow, columnar form, growing 6 to 8 feet wide and 60 feet high. Go to list of cultivars. It is a large deciduous tree that has a beautiful leaf pattern. Sweet gum leaves turn a mix of red, orange and yellow, often on the same tree. Fast-growing to 40 to 50 feet high, 25 to 30 feet wide. It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. Common Names: This tree has many common names and may be known as sweetgum, gumtree, red gum, star-leaved gum, American sweetgum, alligator-wood, bilsted, satin-walnut, American-storax, … Best in full sun to partial shade in deep, moist, bottomland soils. It might be the color that gives them away, or the arrangement of the leaves within the foliage in general, or even the exact shape of specific leaf types. Our trees. Grafted. Native to Eastern United States, from Southwestern Connecticut to Florida. Some trees develop interesting corky ridges on 2 year old stems. The leaves of the Sweetgum is hand shaped, lobed with typically five leaf tips. In the autumn the whole ground under the tree is often covered with seeds. Leaves are alternate, simple, star-shaped, with 5 (sometimes 7) lobes, 3–6 inches wide, deeply lobed; margin toothed, tips long-pointed; leaves slightly aromatic when bruised. Gumball-like, 1 to 1.5 inch, spiny fruits change from green to brown in late summer and fall. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. Sweet gum tree leaves are star-shaped, with palmately-lobed simple leaves that have five even lobes pointed on the ends and spread out like an open hand. 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