sweetgum (Liquidambar styraflua)

Sweetgum in Fort Collins.

Species info:

Leaves: Alternate, glossy, oblong leaves with many fine serrations ending in bristle tips; 4–8 inches long and 2–4 Leaves: Alternate, simple, star-shaped, 4–7.5 inches wide and nearly as long; 5–7 pointed, finely serrated lobes

Leaflets: N/A (simple leaves)

Leaf Surface: Medium green in summer; smooth and glossy; turns orange, red, purple, or yellow in fall

Bark: Grayish-brown, deeply furrowed into narrow, rounded ridges

Flowers: Green to yellow; inconspicuous and not showy; appear in spring

Fruit: Acorns with deep, fringed, bristly cups that nearly cover the nut; mature in one season

Fruit: Woody, long-stemmed, bur-like balls about 1½ inches in diameter; can be messy but distinctive

Botanical: Liquidambar styraflua

Family: Hamamelidaceae

Mature Height: 50–70 feet

Canopy Spread: 30–50 feet; rounded crown at maturity

Foliage Type: Deciduous

Tree Shape: Pyramidal when young; rounded with age

Flowers: Inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, appearing in spring

Fruit: Messy spiky fruit

Fall Color: Brilliant and variable — orange, red, purple, and yellow

Water Use: Moderate; prefers moist, well-drained soils but tolerates dry to moist conditions

Hardiness: Zones 5–9

Soil Preference: Does best in acidic to neutral soils; may show iron chlorosis in high-pH or alkaline soils

Wildlife Value: Fruits feed small mammals and birds; dense canopy provides shelter

Pests/Pathogens: May be affected by sweetgum webworm, scale insects, caterpillars, walnut scale, bleeding necrosis, and leaf spots

Planting recommendation: Considered a tree with potential, prone to iron chlorosis in alkaline soils and requires adequate space

Information sources:

• Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (University of Georgia, 1990)