Botanical Name: Liquidambar styraciflua
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Common Name: Liquidambar; American Sweetgum  
Plant photo of: Liquidambar styraciflua
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Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Tree

 

Height Range

25-40'

 

Flower Color

n/a

 

Flower Season

n/a

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

Brown, Grey

 

Fruit Color

Brown

 

Fruit Season

Winter, Fall, Persistent

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer: Normans/Engstrom/Mullany
  • Description

  • Notes

Liquidamber is a lovely deciduous tree with an upright, narrowly pyramidal habit, growing moderately to 40 feet tall and about 15 to 20 feet wide. Leaves are a rich green and maple-like. The fall color is why you plant this tree, with a kaleidoscope of yellows, oranges, reds, and purples. It has round seedpods, about the size of pingpong balls, and they are sort of spiny; no bother dropping into shrubby or groundcover areas, but a little tough on lawnmowers or feet. They are great for craft projects, though. A number of cultivars are available, with selections made for fall color and size.