What is another name for a sweetgum tree?
American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum, is a deciduous tree in the genus Liquidambar native to warm temperate areas of eastern North America and tropical montane regions of Mexico and ...
Is sweet gum the same as liquid amber?
Liquidambar, commonly called sweetgum (star gum in the UK),gum, redgum, satin-walnut, or American storax, is the only genus in the flowering plant family Altingiaceae and has 15 species. They were formerly often treated in Hamamelidaceae.
What is the scientific name of sweet gum?
Liquidambar styracifluaSweetgum / Scientific name
What family is Liquidambar styraciflua?
AltingiaceaeSweetgum / FamilyAltingiaceae is a small family of flowering plants in the order Saxifragales, consisting of wind-pollinated trees that produce hard, woody fruits containing numerous seeds. The fruits have been studied in considerable detail. Wikipedia
Are liquid amber tree roots invasive?
Roots are known to be invasive, often protruding above soil level within the dripline or much, much further! These roots may crack concrete and disturb structures, and are commonly damaged by lawn mowers. Never remove a Liquidambar without consulting a professional!
What is sweetgum good for?
Many of the medicinal properties of sweetgum are derived from the resinous sap that exudes when the outer bark of the tree has been damaged. The sap, known as storax, has been used for centuries to treat common ailments such as skin problems, coughs, and ulcers.
Why is a sweetgum tree called a sweetgum tree?
The name sweetgum comes from the Native Americans who would peel back the bark, scrape off the resin, and chew the resin as one would chew gum. Phenology: From late March to early April, the flowers, fruits and leaves emerge.
How tall do liquid amber trees grow?
25 metresLiquidambars (Liquidambar styraciflua) are native to North America, where they are commonly known as sweetgums. They are large, fast growing deciduous trees, which can reach 25 metres (82′) high and spread to around 12 metres (39′).
Should I cut down my sweet gum tree?
Sweet gum trees become overbearing when their extensive root systems bulge from the ground and interfere with more favorable plants or home foundations. When this happens, homeowners choose to cut them down to avoid further damage.
Is American sweetgum invasive?
Sweet gum roots are highly invasive, often growing near the soil surface and damaging sidewalks, pavements, and other infrastructure. The species also produces prolific hard, round fruits that litter the ground and are often a tripping hazard. Sweet gum trees have attractive fall foliage.
What tree has sweet gum balls?
Sweetgum trees are known for their balls, also called gumballs, sweetgum fruits, or capsules. The spiky gumballs hang in clusters.
Is sweet gum a sycamore?
Similar to the American Sycamore, Sweetgum trees bear a round-shaped fruit. But the difference is, the Sweetgum fruit is round with a spiny, spiky surface, appearing to have thorns or spikes protruding from all around them. They are not rough and round like the American Sycamore tree. Instead, they are round and spiky.
What is the difference between a liquid amber and a maple tree?
Despite the name, liquid amber trees don't provide the same kind of sweet syrup that some varieties of maple trees do. Liquid amber trees do, however, have a fragrant resin that is routinely used in perfumes and incense.
Is liquid amber tree a maple?
Not surprisingly, with their distinctive 5-pointed, star-shaped leaves, Liquidambars are often confused with true maples. Liquidambars are actually native to the southeastern U.S. Their botanic name is Liquidambar styraciflua, which refers to the fragrant orange sap, or gum, that can flow from bark wounds.
What is the difference between a maple tree and a sweet gum tree?
Although the leaves have a similar shape to some maple leaves, a quick check of the leaf growth pattern can confirm the tree's identity. Maple leaves form opposite of each other while the leaves of the Sweet Gum form alternately as shown in the botanical image below.
Is liquid amber good for furniture?
Liquidamber spp. have had important economic value as a source of timber for a number of applications including flooring, furniture and home interiors.
How big do Liquidambar styraciflua trees get?
Liquidambar styraciflua is a medium-sized to large tree, growing anywhere from 15–20 m (50–70 ft) in cultivation and up to 45 m (150 ft) in the wild, with a trunk up 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) in diameter, on average. Trees may live to 400 years.
What does Styraciflua mean?
Its specific epithet styraciflua is an old generic name meaning 'flowing with storax' (a plant resin). The name " storax " has long been confusingly applied to the aromatic gum or resin of this species, that of L. orientalis of Turkey, and to the resin better known as benzoin from various tropical trees in the genus Styrax .
What is the disease on sweet gum?
The imperfect fungus Dicarpella dryina Sutton is a leaf parasite reported to occur on a wide range of host plants, including species of sweet gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua L. ). Limber and Cash reported that leaf spots produced by this pathogen on several different genera of forest trees were 2–5 mm diameter with regular margins. During the summer of 1994 in the Nacogdoches County area of Texas, a prominent leaf spot on sweet gum was widespread. Infected leaves had numerous necrotic lesions, each surrounded by a reddish halo. The lesions tended to merge resulting in large areas of dead tissue. Infection and fungal development of D. dryina were investigated on leaves of sweet gum using a combination of microscopic techniques. D. dryina infection on sweet gum has been associated with the disease red leaf spot. Results of this investigation indicate that D. dryina can penetrate leaf tissue directly, thus having the ability to initiate infection on both upper and lower leaf surfaces. In other regions of the U.S., sweet gum populations may not be as susceptible to local populations of this fungus.
What is the name of the plant that is a storax?
This plant's genus name Liquidambar was first given by Linnaeus in 1753 from the Latin liquidus ('fluid') and the Arabic ambar ('amber'), in allusion to the fragrant terebinthine juice or gum which exudes from the tree. Its specific epithet styraciflua is an old generic name meaning 'flowing with storax' (a plant resin). The name " storax " has long been confusingly applied to the aromatic gum or resin of this species, that of L. orientalis of Turkey, and to the resin better known as benzoin from various tropical trees in the genus Styrax .
What is the difference between Liquidambar and Acer?
While the starry five-pointed leaves of Liquidambar resemble those of some maples ( Acer ), Liquidambar is easily distinguished from Acer by its glossy, leathery leaves that are positioned singly ( alternate ), not in pairs (opposite) on the stems. Luna and Promethea moth caterpillars feed on the leaves. Summer foliage.
When was Liquidambar first discovered?
The earliest known published record of Liquidambar styraciflua is in a work by Spanish naturalist Francisco Hernández published posthumously in 1615, in which he describes the species as a large tree producing a fragrant gum resembling liquid amber, whence the genus name Liquidambar.
What is sweetgum wood?
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is one of the most important commercial hardwoods in the Southeastern United States. Its wood is bright reddish brown (with the sapwood nearly white) and may have black grain in the heartwood; it is heavy, straight, satiny, and close-grained, but not strong.
How tall does Liquidambar styraciflua grow?
Excellent plant for moist soil areas along streams and ponds. Grows up to 60-80 ft. tall (18-24 m) and 40-60 ft. wide (12-18 m)
What is a sweet gum tree?
Native to eastern North America, Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum) is a magnificent, large, deciduous tree adorned with a straight trunk and a broadly conical crown. Narrow and erect when young, the tree develops an oblong to rounded crown at maturity. Aromatic when bruised, its foliage of star-shaped, 5-7 lobed, lustrous dark green leaves turns brilliant shades of orange, crimson and purple and persists late into fall. After dropping to the ground, the attractive branching pattern, furrowed bark and corky wings on twigs are revealed, providing winter interest. In mid-late spring, inconspicuous, yellow-green flowers borne in spherical clusters are on display. They are followed by clusters of hard, spherical, bristly gum balls, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), which usually remain on the tree through the winter. Good-looking all year, Liquidambar styraciflua makes a superb shade tree or specimen tree for a large landscape. Excellent plant for moist soil areas along streams and ponds.
When do yellow gum balls come out on a spruce tree?
In mid-late spring, inconspicuous, yellow-green flowers borne in spherical clusters are on display. They are followed by clusters of hard, spherical, bristly gum balls, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), which usually remain on the tree through the winter.
Common name: Sweet Gum
Known to many as the "gumball tree" in affectual reminiscence or revisited annoyance. The truth is, the tree is a beauty! The slightly corky bark and upswept branching habit make this tree ideal as a shade tree, for yard and parkway plantings. The fall color is a mix of fireworks in red, yellow and orange lasting until a very hard frost.
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Overview
Distribution
Sweetgum is one of the most common hardwoods in the southeastern United States, where it occurs naturally in lowlands from southwestern Connecticut south to central Florida, through central Ohio and west to Illinois, southern Missouri, and eastern Texas, but not colder highland areas of Appalachia or the Midwestern states. The species also occurs in Mexico from southern Nuevo León south to Chiapas, as well as in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras. In Mexico and Central …
Names
This plant's genus name Liquidambar was first given by Linnaeus in 1753 from the Latin liquidus ('fluid') and the Arabic ambar ('amber'), in allusion to the fragrant terebinthine juice or gum which exudes from the tree. Its specific epithet styraciflua is an old generic name meaning 'flowing with storax' (a plant resin). The name "storax" has long been confusingly applied to the aromatic gum or resin of this species, that of L. orientalis of Turkey, and to the resin better known as benzoin fro…
History
The earliest known published record of Liquidambar styraciflua is in a work by Spanish naturalist Francisco Hernández published posthumously in 1615, in which he describes the species as a large tree producing a fragrant gum resembling liquid amber, whence the genus name Liquidambar. In John Ray's Historia Plantarum (1686) it is called Styrax liquida. However, the first mention of any use of the amber is described by Juan de Grijalva, the nephew of the governor of …
Description
Liquidambar styraciflua is a medium-sized to large tree, growing anywhere from 15–20 m (50–70 ft) in cultivation and up to 45 m (150 ft) in the wild, with a trunk up 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) in diameter, on average. Trees may live to 400 years. The tree is a symmetrical shape and crowns into an egg shape when the branches get too heavy after its first two years of cultivation.
Uses
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is one of the most important commercial hardwoods in the Southeastern United States. Its wood is bright reddish brown (with the sapwood nearly white) and may have black grain in the heartwood; it is heavy, straight, satiny, and close-grained, but not strong. It takes a beautiful polish, but warps badly in drying. The wood has a specific gravity of 0.5910. It i…
Cultivation
Liquidambar styraciflua is a popular ornamental and forestal tree, cultivated for its distinctive foliage and intense autumn colors. It is commonly grown throughout its native North American range as well as many other temperate parts of the world, including moderately high elevations in the tropics. It is highly regarded in Bogota, Colombia. The species grows best in moist, acidic loam or clay soil, …
Bibliography
• Kormanik, Paul P. (1990). "Liquidambar styraciflua". In Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H. (eds.). Hardwoods. Silvics of North America. Washington, D.C.: United States Forest Service (USFS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vol. 2 – via Southern Research Station.
• Meyer, Frederick G. (1997). "Liquidambar styraciflua". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 3. New York and Oxford – via eFloras.org, Mi…