Liquidambar styraciflua L. American sweetgum, redgum, sweetgum, starleaf-gum
American sweetgum is native to the eastern United States and mountainous regions of Mexico and Guatemala. Identification: Sweetgum trees have several unusual and interesting features. They are 60-100' (18-30 m) tall, and 40-60' (12-18 m) wide. Some trees develop corklike ridges on 2-year-old stems (Photo 7), or even pyramid-shaped bumps. Leaves are distinctively shaped—a 5- or 7-pointed star. Leaf edges have somewhat serrated edges. When crushed, the leaves produce a camphor-like odor. In the fall, leaves may be shades of red, orange, deep red, or purplish. Flowers are inconspicuous, yellow-green in color. The distinctive-looking fruits are tough spiny round or oval balls that persist through the winter. Online References:
Liquidambar styraciflua on the USDA Plants Database Liquidambar styraciflua on www.carolinanature.com Liquidambar styraciflua on plantdatabase.uconn.edu Liquidambar styraciflua at the Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Liquidambar styraciflua on the USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database 1 · 7/20/2017 · Douthat State Park, Millboro, Virginia 2 · 4/7/2012 · Ladew Topiary Gardens, Monkton, Maryland 3 · 7/20/2017 · Douthat State Park, Millboro, Virginia 4 · 5/6/2011 · Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Chester, Maryland 5 · 5/6/2011 · Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Chester, Maryland
Liquidambar styraciflua description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 23 Aug 2021. © FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved. |
6 · 5/6/2011 · Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Chester, Maryland 7 · 5/6/2011 · Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Chester, Maryland 8 · 4/9/2011 · Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, Maryland 9 · 3/13/2012 · New Jersey 10 · 4/7/2012 · Ladew Topiary Gardens, Monkton, Maryland 11 · 7/20/2017 · Douthat State Park, Millboro, Virginia 12 · 4/9/2011 · Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, Maryland 13 · 8/30/2013 · Chris and Kelley’s, Midlothian, Virginia Range:
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