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American Sweetgum
(Liquidambar styraciflua)
The American Sweetgum is a beautiful, wildlife-friendly woodland tree offering abundant shade and robust, delightful autumn foliage.
It is a native deciduous tree most frequently (and naturally) found in wet river bottoms and within swampy areas that frequently flood. Sweetgum can also be found within uplands of the Carolinas. It is native to the eastern United States and Mexico.
In the fall, its star-shaped leaves will display fantastic, brilliant bursts of burgundy, bright red, purple, yellow or orange – often all occurring on the same tree.
In the winter, songbirds, such as the American Goldfinch, eat the seeds while other birds will hunt invertebrates living within the fruits. The Sweetgum also hosts Imperial Moth larvae and Hickory Horned Devil larvae.
Here at Skipping Rock Farm, American Sweetgum is our favorite. It is a true friend and guardian: intercepting pollutants, sequestering carbon, absorbing floodwater, and sharing high oxygen yields.
The Sweetgum tree produces a resin that is used in the creation of flavorings, chewing gum, incense and perfume. Among hardwoods, the Sweetgum is second only to Oak in production. Sweetgum wood is close grained, moderately hard and heavy. It is used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneer, plywood, pulpwood, barrels, and boxes.
Important Considerations:
The prickly “gumball” fruit litters the ground around it and, if you're not into frequent lawn clean-ups, this tree is not recommended. Nor is it recommended for people who like to walk around the yard barefoot.
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Conditions
Light:
- Full Sun or Partial Shade
Soils:
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Acidity <6.0 Neutral 6.0-8.0.
- Moist with Good Drainage.
Tolerance:
- Occasional Drought
- Occasional Flooding
- Pollution
- Compacted Soils
Growth
Expect an American Sweetgum to grow rapidly in a pyramidal-spreading form and survive for 70 to 150 years in urban and suburban areas. In wild, healthy forests, their lives can span up to 300 years.
Mature height will typically range from 60’ tall to 100’ tall with a spread of 40' to 50’ and a trunk diameter of 4’ or greater.
Manufacturer's Specs
Carbon Storage Characteristics:
- Rapid Growth
- Long Lifespan
- Moderate Wood Density
Carbon Storage Estimate for
Lifetime/Mature Tree:
- CO₂e = .5 to 2.5 tons
Pollution/Dust Interception:
- High
Tropospheric Ozone Tolerance:
- Low - Moderate
Flood/Stormwater Abatement:
- High
Oxygen Yield:
- High