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American Sweet Gum

Liquidambar Styraciflua

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Overview

The American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) thrives in zones 5-9, reaching up to 60-75 feet tall with a 40-50 feet spread. Notable for its star-shaped leaves and vibrant fall colors, it prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Its spiky gumballs can be a maintenance issue. Provides excellent shade but root system can disrupt pavements. It's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate.

Sun FullWater MediumZones 7–10Type TreeClimate Temperate

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — contributing to its name and lending a sweet; the American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), image 147

Culture

Sun: Full
Water: Medium
USDA zones: 7–10

Shape & size

Classification

Type: Tree
Family: Hamamelidaceae
Climate: Temperate

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Photos (170)

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — tree for full; contributing to its name and lending a sweet, image 100

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — and purples in the fall.<br><br>One notable feature of the Sweet Gum is its corky bark, image 138

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — ensuring there is ample space for growth.<br><br>The tree's fruit; provides excellent shade but root, image 119

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — and purples in the fall.<br><br>One notable feature of the Sweet Gum is its corky bark

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — Notable for its star-shaped leaves and vibrant fall colors, it prefers full sun and moist, image 78

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — with a canopy spread of 40 to 50 feet

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — tolerating even clay soils

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — tolerating even clay soils; with a canopy spread of 40 to 50 feet, image 66

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — It's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate; which adds a textural element to the landscape, image 81

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — Growing to an impressive height of 60 to 75 feet; notable for its star-shaped leaves and vibrant, image 83

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — transforming into a kaleidoscope of yellows; it's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate, image 87

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — Its spiky gumballs can be a maintenance issue; tree for full, image 79

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — the leaves and twigs emit a fragrant resin when bruised; ensuring there is ample space for, image 121

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — Its spiky gumballs can be a maintenance issue; tree for full

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — transforming into a kaleidoscope of yellows; it's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate, image 62

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — Its star-shaped leaves are a luscious green throughout spring and summer; clients will enjoy a, image 86

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — transforming into a kaleidoscope of yellows; it's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate, image 137

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — The American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) thrives in zones 5-9; its spiky gumballs can be a maintenance

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — Its star-shaped leaves are a luscious green throughout spring and summer

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — persists through winter and can pose a litter nuisance if planted near walkways or frequented areas

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — reaching up to 60-75 feet tall with a 40-50 feet spread; its star-shaped leaves are a luscious green throughout

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — the leaves and twigs emit a fragrant resin when bruised

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — persists through winter and can pose a litter nuisance if planted near walkways or frequented areas, image 95

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — Growing to an impressive height of 60 to 75 feet

Photographs by 12 contributors

Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Ewen Cameron, CC BY 4.0 · source
Dominicus Johannes Bergsma, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C.,…, CC BY 2.0 · source
Shane Vaughn, CC BY 3.0 · source
vastateparksstaff, CC BY 2.0 · source
Ch.Brame, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Laura Gaudette, CC BY 4.0 · source
Bjankuloski06, CC BY 4.0 · source
Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · source
Plant Image Library from Boston, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Jorge Franganillo from Barcelona, Spain, CC BY 2.0 · source

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