Sweet Gum Trees Leaves

They are all large deciduous trees 25 to 40 m tall with palmately 5 to 7 lobed leaves arranged spirally on the stems and length of 12 5 to 20 cm having a pleasant aroma when crushed.

Sweet gum trees 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. The fruit is a conspicuous spiked ball that hangs in clusters. Sweet gum is known for its unique star shaped leaves with outstanding yellow red and purple fall color. Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9 in full sun.

Sweetgum liquidambar is a genus of four species of flowering plants in the family altingiaceae though formerly often treated in the hamamelidaceae. Like the maple tree these species have leaves whose ribs or veins radiate out from a single stalk or petiole attachment in a palmate pattern that is the lobes resemble a set of fingers. This list includes sycamore yellow poplar and sweetgum trees. 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 trees are native to the eastern u s but grow well throughout u s. The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree. 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. It s wise to plant your tree 8 to 10 feet away from areas such as driveways which could be negatively affected by this tree s aggressive roots.

Styraciflua is a deciduous tree to 20m tall broadly conical in outline with rather glossy maple like 5 to 7 lobed leaves which turn to shades of orange crimson and purple in autumn plant range eastern usa. Some people refer to these leaves as having a star form or a maple like silhouette. Sweet gum tree has maple like leaves that turn yellow to red in the fall. This leaf is borne on corky winged limbs and the bark is gray brown deeply furrowed with narrow ridges.

Sweet gum seeds are eaten by many species of birds including goldfinch purple finch sparrows mourning doves wild turkey northern bobwhite and wood duck as well as by squirrels and chipmunks. Although sweet gum is a popular street tree it has a large root system that often cracks or lifts sidewalks and paved roads. This tree may also be found in mixed woodlands. Although native to eastern north america it is widely planted throughout the continent in its range.

Sweet gum tree is a tall majestic tree that s difficult to beat for symmetrical beauty in a landscape setting. 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. Sweet gum is one of the main valuable forest trees in the southeastern united states and is a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates. If an appropriate space is available check out the cold hardy cultivar moraine which is recommended for northern illinois.

Because of its large size a mature sweet gum can produce very large quantities of leaves which create a fair amount of work for you to keep cleaned up. Mature bark is grayish and vertically grooved. The tree prefers moist slightly acidic soil but. See more pictures of trees.

The sweet gum is deciduous meaning it drops its leaves in the fall.