| 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: | Semi-evergreen, 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, Apr-May |
| Fruit: | Capsule, Multiple fruit, Brown, Black, Aug-Sep, (Persistent) |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves alternate, orbicular, most 8-13cm wide, usually 5 lobed (reminiscent of some maples), most with brilliant fall colours from purple to yellow, most petioles 6-10cm long; balls of many tiny green-yellow flowers, Apr-May. Winter ID: locally, the some specimens may retain leaves, branches may have corky outgrowths; leaf scar with three large bundle scars; persistent multiple fruit of fused capsules 1-3cm long. | |