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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) — It thrives in full sun, requiring at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day; tolerating even

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — which adds a textural element to the landscape during the leaf-off season; persists through winter and can pose

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — but the species is adaptable

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — balsamic aroma to the garden space.<br><br>In choosing the American Sweet Gum for a landscape, image 98

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — tree for full; contributing to its name and lending a sweet, image 150

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — persists through winter and can pose a litter nuisance if planted near walkways or frequented areas, image 120

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — It's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate; which adds a textural element to the landscape, image 106

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — landscape designers should note its potential size and root system when positioning it; balsamic, image 93

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — landscape designers should note its potential size and root system when positioning it

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — which adds a textural element to the landscape during the leaf-off season; persists through winter, image 64

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — It thrives in full sun, requiring at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day, image 117

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — persists through winter and can pose a litter nuisance if planted near walkways or frequented areas, image 70

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — is a captivating deciduous tree renowned for its stunning fall coloration and distinctive spiky fruit

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — the leaves and twigs emit a fragrant resin when bruised; ensuring there is ample space for, image 71

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — and purples in the fall.<br><br>One notable feature of the Sweet Gum is its corky bark, image 63

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — tree for full; contributing to its name and lending a sweet, image 125

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — transforming into a kaleidoscope of yellows; it's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate, image 112

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — this tree presents a pyramidal form in its youth that becomes more rounded with maturity; it thrives, image 60

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — It's deciduous, with a moderate to fast growth rate; which adds a textural element to the landscape, image 131

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — balsamic aroma to the garden space.<br><br>In choosing the American Sweet Gum for a landscape

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — with a canopy spread of 40 to 50 feet; this tree presents a pyramidal form in its youth that becomes, image 109

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — this tree presents a pyramidal form in its youth that becomes more rounded with maturity

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — contributing to its name and lending a sweet

American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar Styraciflua) — tree for full

Photographs by 11 contributors

vastateparksstaff, CC BY 2.0 · source
Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Bjankuloski06, CC BY 4.0 · source
Dominicus Johannes Bergsma, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Plant Image Library from Boston, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
josef.stuefer, CC BY 2.0 · source
Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C.,…, CC BY 2.0 · source
Melissa McMasters from Memphis, CC BY 2.0 · source
Jean and Fred from Perth, Australia, CC BY 2.0 · source
Dan Murtha, CC BY 2.0 · source

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