Scientific Name: Liquidambar styraciflua
Common Name: American sweetgum
Family Name: Altingiaceae
Origin: Mexico, U.S. - central
Hardiness Zone: Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Plant Type: Tree - deciduous
Mature Size: 15 - 22m x 10 - 15m (height x width)
Habit: Open, Stiffly upright
Form: Oval - vertical, Pyramidal - widely
Texture: Medium
Landscape Uses: Fall interest, Specimen plant, Woodland margin
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media: Acidic
Leaves: Simple, Lobed, Alternate, Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Palmate venation, Glabrous, Orbicular, Serrate
Flowers: Raceme, Yellow, Green-yellow, Mar-Apr-May
Fruit: Capsule, Multiple fruit, Brown, Black, Aug-Sep, (Persistent)
Key ID Features:
Leaves usually 5 lobed and similar to some maples but are alternate, brilliant fall colours from purple to yellow. Winter ID: branches may have corky outgrowths; leaf scar with three large bundle scars; fruit is a multiple fruit capsule and persists through winter.