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Redgum Liquidambar styraciflua

Phonetic Spelling
lih-kwid-AM-bar sty-rak-ee-FLOO-uh
Description

American sweetgum is a woody, deciduous tree frequently found in wet river bottoms, in swamps that frequently flood, and on drier uplands (except the high mountains) throughout North Carolina. It is native to the eastern United States and Mexico and is a member of the sweetgum family (Altingiaceae). Its common name refers to the aromatic gum that oozes from wounds to the tree. An alternate name, redgum, may come from the reddish-brown heartwood found in logs greater than 16 inches in diameter.

American sweetgum grows in full sun to partial shade in neutral to acidic soil that is moist yet well-drained. It is resistant to fire, heat, drought, soil compaction, deer and rabbits. It may grow 60 to 100 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 4 feet or more. The tree has a shallow root system and should be planted in spring because roots take three to four months to recover from the shock of transplanting. Propagate sweetgum by seed. 

It is often the bane of some homeowners’ existence because of its messy, troublesome fruit. Small, bright yellow-green (tinged with red) flowers mature on stalks in spring. The female flowers give way to spherical, spiny fruiting heads, known as gumballs, which are composed of numerous tiny capsules, each bearing one or two-winged seeds. The fruit litters the ground between December and April. On the bright side, the glossy, star-shaped leaves turn bright red, purple, yellow or orange in the fall and remain on the tree for a long time. On some trees, particularly in the northern part of its range, branches are covered with laminar corky projections. 

Given its height and a width spanning 40 to 50 feet, American sweetgum makes an excellent shade tree. It is also a good addition to a woodland or recreational play area and children’s, edible, native, nighttime or pollinator gardens. The tree attracts songbirds, small mammals, moths and pollinators.  

Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Webworms, caterpillars, borers, and scale may cause problems in some areas. Leaf spots, wood rot, and bleeding necrosis may occur. Iron chlorosis may occur in alkaline soils. The fruit is a litter problem in lawn and patio areas. 

VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

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See this plant in the following landscapes:
Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden Plant Walls and Hedges
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Aurea', 'Aurora', 'Burgundy', 'Corky', 'Festival', 'Gumball', 'Oconee', 'Palo Alto', 'Rotundiloba', 'Slender Silhouette', 'Variegata', 'White Star'
Tags:
#fragrant#deciduous#shade tree#native tree#pyramidal#moth caterpillar host#fragrant leaves#low maintenance#tsc#fall interest#rabbit resistant#small mammals#fire low flammability#NC native#mice#beavers#deer resistant#nighttime garden#children's garden#playground plant#pollinator plant#Braham Arboretum#fantz#larval host plant#messy fruits#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#fall color red#fall color purple#tsc-t#fall color orange-red#hickory horndevil moth#imperial moth#food source winter#landscape plant sleuths course#wildlife friendly#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Aurea', 'Aurora', 'Burgundy', 'Corky', 'Festival', 'Gumball', 'Oconee', 'Palo Alto', 'Rotundiloba', 'Slender Silhouette', 'Variegata', 'White Star'
Tags:
#fragrant#deciduous#shade tree#native tree#pyramidal#moth caterpillar host#fragrant leaves#low maintenance#tsc#fall interest#rabbit resistant#small mammals#fire low flammability#NC native#mice#beavers#deer resistant#nighttime garden#children's garden#playground plant#pollinator plant#Braham Arboretum#fantz#larval host plant#messy fruits#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#fall color red#fall color purple#tsc-t#fall color orange-red#hickory horndevil moth#imperial moth#food source winter#landscape plant sleuths course#wildlife friendly#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Liquidambar
    Species:
    styraciflua
    Family:
    Altingiaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Resinous gum are used for creating chewing gum, incense, perfumes, folk medicines (for things like dysentery and diarrhea) and flavorings. In pioneer days, the gum was obtained from the trunks by peeling the bark and scraping the resin-like solid beneath. Currently, this tree is second in production to oaks among the hardwoods. The wood is heavy, moderately hard, and close grained and used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneer, plywood, pulpwood, barrels, and boxes. It is not durable upon exposure.
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Eastern United States, Mexico
    Distribution:
    Pennsylvania southwest to Texas, east to Florida, nnorth up to New England, California.
    Fire Risk Rating:
    low flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. This plant also supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed. Songbirds, like the American goldfinch eat the seeds during the winter and mall birds probe inside fruits in winter for invertebrates. Beavers, mice and rabbits eat the bark.
    Play Value:
    Edible fruit
    Wildlife Food Source
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Resistant to fire in landscape, moderately resistant to damage from deer and rabbits..
    Dimensions:
    Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Perennial
    Shrub
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Pyramidal
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    more than 60 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    Female flowers give way to a globose head (the infamous gum ball) which are hard, beak shaped, bristly fruiting capsules 1 to 3 inches in diameter appearing in August-September. Gum balls mature to dark brown and usually remain on the tree through the winter, but can create clean-up problems during the general period of December through April as the clusters fall to the ground. The capsules contain two tiny seeds (syncarp). The fruits persist through the winter and attract birds.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Insignificant
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    The Sweetgum has non-showy, monoecious, yellow-green flowers that appear in spherical clusters in April-May. Female flowers give way to the infamous gum balls.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Purple/Lavender
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Purple/Lavender
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Deltoid
    Palmasect
    Leaf Margin:
    Dentate
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The Sweetgum tree has alternate, simple, serrate, palmate venation, glossy, deciduous, long-stalked, deep green leaves (4-8” across) with toothed margins. Each leaf has 5-7 deeply separated, pointed, star-shaped lobes. Leaves are fragrant when bruised. Fall color at its best is a brilliant mixture of yellows, oranges, purples and reds.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Ridges
    Bark Plate Shape:
    Irregular
    Bark Description:
    Corky scales that darken the tree. As the tree matures, it forms irregular, deeply furrowed bark. After the second year, twigs may develop two to four corky wing-like projections. The bark is also a food source for small mammals like beavers, rabbits, and mice.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Recreational Play Area
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Children's Garden
    Native Garden
    Nighttime Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Shade Tree
    Attracts:
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Compaction
    Deer
    Drought
    Fire
    Heat
    Rabbits
    Problems:
    Messy