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November
Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae family)

sweetgumHardiness:
Zones 6-9

Native Range:
Commonly found on the East Coast from New York to Florida, westward to Illinois, Missouri, and Texas, and south through Mexico to Guatemala.

Habit:
Large tree (about 60 to 120 feet tall and 40 feet wide) with pyramidal shape when young, changing to oval or oblong shape at maturity. Sweetgum trees can reach a height of more than 140 feet.

Culture:
Sweetgums occur naturally in low wet areas with rich, moist, alluvial soil. They are adaptable and can be found in a variety of conditions. They perform best in full sun locations with ample room to grow. Sweetgums should be planted as balled and burlaped young trees in mid-spring.

sweetgum leafLeaves:
The easiest way to identify sweetgums is by their star-shaped leaves. The leaves have five or seven lobes and form the shape of a star. They are a lustrous green in summer and develop brilliant fall color. The leaves change to shades of rich yellow, purple, and red.

Flowers:
The nondescript flowers of sweetgums appear in late April or May when the leaves emerge.

sweetgum fruitFruit:
Sweetgums produce a dry round fruit in late fall usually 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, which contains tiny winged seeds. The fruit persist through mid-winter. Many birds and squirrels eat the small seeds.

Wildlife Value:
Sweetgum seeds are eaten by birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. Their fast growth and tolerance of many conditions make sweetgums useful for controlling erosion by serving as windbreak trees.

Sweetgums are an excellent choice for a large landscape setting such as a park or open lawn area. Since they grow quickly, they provide shade in only a few years. Although they perform best in moist conditions, they are quite adaptable to most growing conditions. There are several cultivars available commercially, however they are most often sold as the straight species Liquidambar styraciflua.

Sweetgums can be found at the Zoo near the Victoria Lily Pond and the Reptile Discovery Center, near the Crossroads of the Zoo, across from the Police Station, and on Olmsted Walk between the camel yard and the Small Mammal House.

Reference:
Dirr, Michael. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants.

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