Identification Sweet Gum Tree Leaves
This leaf is borne on corky winged limbs and the bark is gray brown deeply furrowed with narrow ridges.
Identification sweet gum tree leaves. The sweet gum has a pyramidal habit when young eventually becoming rounded and tall up to more than 100 feet. The bark is grayish brown and deeply furrowed. Sweet gum is one of the main valuable forest trees in the southeastern united states and is a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates. Green deane s itemized plant profile.
The fruit is a conspicuous spiked ball that hangs in clusters. In height and 4 ft. Silver dollar gum tree native to south eastern australia. Scribbly gum tree distinctive markings on trunk made by moth larvae.
Fruit compound round 40 to 60 capsules each with. Sweet gum a tree of the witch hazel family hamamelidaceae native of the eastern united states also mexico and central america. The leaves of a maple tree are very distinct but that shape does not belong to maple leaves alone a number of broadleaf trees have maple like leaves. Sweet gum description a sweet gum is a deciduous tree in the witch hazel family that ranges in height from 60 to 100 feet and has a narrow oval canopy.
In scientific nomenclature the sweet gum tree is called liquidambar styraciflua. 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. They are deep glossy green in. Description of sweet gum tree.
Margin toothed tips long pointed. Dark green glossy turning brilliant orange red and purple the autumn. Leaves have substantial amounts of tannin. Sweet gum is a large tree with a long cylindrical trunk pyramidal crown and corky wings on branches and twigs.
Leaves alternating usually have five but sometimes three or seven sharply pointed palmate lobes. The tree ranges between 80 to 150 feet in height. The star like leaf has 5 or 7 lobes or points and turns from green in summer to yellow or purple in autumn. Spotted gum tree has lemon scented leaves and spotted bark gum tree.
This tree may also be found in mixed woodlands. Salmon gum tree named for its salmon colored bark in summer. The deeply cut grey or brownish grey bark forms winged projections on the twigs. Some people refer to these leaves as having a star form or a maple like silhouette.
It thrives well in both acidic soil and alkaline soil and ponds and streams are its predominant areas. The liquidambar styraciflua growth rate is. Along the rivers of the south eastern united states sweet gums exceed 125 ft. Leaves slightly aromatic when bruised.
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. Snow gum tree also known as ghost gum or weeping gum. This list includes sycamore yellow poplar and sweetgum trees. The alternate palmate shiny leaves have usually five pointed finely.
Leaves are alternate simple star shaped with 5 sometimes 7 lobes 3 6 inches wide deeply lobed. A medium sized to large tree growing to 65 155 feet 20 35 m with a trunk up to 6 feet 2 m in diameter can live to 400 years. The deciduous leaves are maplelike in outline with five pointed lobes and lightly toothed margins. Stems often have corky and attractive wings during the second year.