Scientific name: Liquidambar styraciflua
Family: ALTINGIACEAE
Common names: “Sweetgum”
Plant Type: Deciduous tree
Conditions:
Zone: 5-9
Light: Full sun best – light shade
Exposure: Exposed or sheltered
Soil: Acidic loam, tolerates clay but hates lime
Moisture: Moist, handles poor drainage
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 60′ W 40′ , long lived
Leaf and Stem shape: Five-lobed alternate, maple-like leaves which turn to deep orange and yellow in autumn
Flower: Insignificant flowers followed by lots of spiky fruit
Pruning: Minimal, none required
Maintenance: Low – medium
Landscape use: Specimen tree, roadside planting, parks and estates
Propagate: By cuttings
Pests & Disease: None, prone to snow damage
Comments: Native to the east coast of USA from Florida to New England, important tree in the lumber trade
Cultivars: ~AGM winner: L. s. ‘Worplesdon’
