Not native to North America this sweet gum gets its common name from the sap that oozes from any wounds on the tree. It is commonly used for shade; on streets without sidewalk or in a lawn space that is more than 6 ft wide. It is also used in bonsai. The fruit may be a litter nuisance to some in the fall through winter, but this is usually only noticeable on hard surfaces, such as roads, patios, and sidewalks. Its shape is pyramidal in youth but grows into a rounded-irregular form though it will require pruning to develop a strong central leader and good shape. Its wood is used for to make furniture and other home interior finishes like flooring. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: May be susceptible to bagworm, fall webworm, leaf miner, tent caterpillar and cottony cushion scale. May be attacked by canker disease.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Wet
Mature size
Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in. | Width: 35 ft. 0 in. - 45 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Oval; Pyramidal; Rounded
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Deltoid
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Alternate, simple star-shaped leaves with 3 lobes (instead of the 5-7 lobes of other Liquidambar spp.), palmate; acuminate tips and cordate to truncate bases. Yellow to red fall color but quality varies.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Green; Insignificant
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower detail
April-May non-showy round clusters
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
Dark brown, spherical burr-like cluster 1.5" in diameter appear in late summer and can persist into winter. Fruit is less woody and softer than L. styraciflua so are not as much of a stepping hazard.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Gray
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Branches covered with corky projections. Twigs are breakage resistant but can cause littler problems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Southern China, Taiwan
Wildlife value
Fruit attracts birds.
Attracts
Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Winter
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Design feature
Shade Tree; Street Tree
Garden tags
#deciduous #lumber #showy fruits #street tree #drought tolerant #bonsai #lawn tree #messy #furniture wood #deer resistant #shade tree #glossy leaves #high maintenance #parks #fall interest #wildlife friendly