sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua L.
click thumbnail to enlarge
Form & Habitat
sweetgum form and habitat sweetgum form and habitat
Leaves
sweetgum leaf sweetgum leaf sweetgum leaf (underside)
Twigs
sweetgum twig: corky wings sweetgum twig: bud
Bark
sweetgum bark sweetgum bark
Flowers
sweetgum: male flowers sweetgum flower: male sweetgum flower: male
Fruit
sweetgum fruit (immature) sweetgum fruit (mature) sweetgum fruit (seeds)
  • FAMILY: ALTINGIACEAE (alternatively included in Hamamelidaceae)
  • ALTERNATE COMMON NAME: redgum
  • LEAVES: deciduous, alternate, simple, star-shaped, palmately lobed with 5 (-7) acute, serrate lobes; yellow or red fall color
  • FLOWER: imperfect, plants monoecious; male flowers greenish-yellow, in oblong masses to ca. 2” long terminating shoots; female flowers in dense ball-like masses on long dangling axillary penducles; flowering in early spring as new leaves emerge
  • FRUIT: multiple of capsules forming a prickly globose ball; seeds small and winged
  • TWIGS: very stout, with or without corky wings, which may appear on first year’s growth; spur shoots are common; pith continues, streaked with white and tan, angularly lobed in cross-section
  • BARK: gray, thick, furrowed with corky ridges
  • FORM: large tree to 80-120’ tall and 3-4’ dbh, long lived, to ca. 300 years
  • HABITAT: this species is very frequent, being found in just about any mesic forest, and as an early colonizer of open ground; invades fire-driven habitats when fire has not been adequate
  • WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative (FAC): Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
  • RANGE: southeastern US [USGS County Range Map]
  • USES: important hardwood for lumber, veneer, pulp; ornamental; resin can be used as “chewing gum”
  • WILDLIFE: seeds eaten by many birds and small mammals; wood is used by beaver in dam construction
    • Best Recognition Features:
    1. star-shaped leaf
    2. prickly globose fruits
    3. stout twigs that may have corky wings, frequent spur shoots
    LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources

    School of Renewable Natural Reources    		 Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours
    Dr. Chris S. Reid, Project Director | creid4@lsu.edu
    LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources
    LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA
    © 2003-2020

    website problems or broken links: mbowen@agcenter.lsu.edu
    page revised: 15-Jan-2020 4:11 PM  msb    		 LSU AgCenter

    LSU AgCenter
    Provide Website Feedback   |  Accessibility Statement