American Sweetgum Sweet Gum Tree Leaves

Leaves turn yellow purple red in the fall and stay on the tree quite late.

American sweetgum sweet gum tree leaves. The alternate palmate shiny leaves have usually five pointed finely toothed lobes and are fragrant when bruised. The tree prefers moist slightly acidic soil but. It is one of the 100 most common trees in north america. 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.

They range in color from green to yellow to deep red. Sweet gum is one of the main valuable forest trees in the southeastern united states and is a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates. Sweetgum are native to the southeastern united states and belong to the altingiaceae family. 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.

The deeply cut grey or brownish grey bark forms winged projections on the twigs. 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. 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. 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.

Sweet gum a tree of the witch hazel family hamamelidaceae native of the eastern united states also mexico and central america. They are decorative deciduous trees that are used in the wood industry and for ornamental purposes. American sweetgum are deciduous trees prized for their star shaped leaves that turn a mix of brilliant fall colors. The sweetgum is a fast growing tree that develops a significant taproot that tolerate high moisture levels in soil.

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. Liquidambar styraciflua is known as the american sweetgum. Along the rivers of the south eastern united states sweet gums exceed 125 ft. The sweetgum is a monoecious species and is.

The sweet gum tree grows fairly fast and thrives in different types of soil including sand and clay. They were formerly often treated in hamamelidaceae. Grows 60 70 with a 45 spread. However it can be prone to certain diseases.

It is a deciduous tree that can be found in southeastern u s as well as southern mexico and central america. In height and 4 ft. It is recognizable by the combination. It is a popular street tree and is prized for its flashy display of fall foliage.

The star like leaf has 5 or 7 lobes or points and turns from green in summer to yellow or purple in autumn. 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. In the autumn the star shaped leaves turn brilliant. 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. Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9 in full sun.