Black maples form a large, rounded crown, making it an exceptional shade tree. Mature leaves have a whitish appearing. How does one tell them apart? The easiest way to tell the difference, however young the tree and even in winter with no leaves, is the leaf arrangement. By contrast, sweet gums have smooth bark that is gray or white in color. Its lovely colour enveloping the lake makes Tsing Yi Park one of the most picturesque spots . Wholesale prices on frames. Sweet-gum (288-47*10) is in the East Illinois 53. While maples thrive in most U.S. states, up into Canada and as far north as Alaska, eastern and western varieties do not overlap. L. styraciflua is a deciduous tree to 20m tall, broadly conical in outline, with rather glossy, maple-like, 5 to 7-lobed leaves which turn to shades of orange, crimson and purple in autumn. By using leaves with high lignin levels, you can actually end up with less nitrogen in your soil. Deep, glossy green star-shaped leaves mark the Sweetgum. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. Some maple varieties, such as Canyon maple, confine their range to a small area, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of southern Idaho. Mature trees often have corky bark that protrudes from the smaller branches and twigs giving them a winged appearance. Maple Leaves. and they have an opposite leaf arrangement. Chang's sweetgum leaves look like maple tree leaves and measure between 3" and 6" (7.5 - 15 cm) across. Identifying Elms With Basic Characteristics. Chalk maple, Acer leucoderma, thrives from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas, overlapping with the Florida maple, Acer barbatum. underside. I believe the trees in the Sweet Gum Woods are the Liquidambar formosana, or the Chinese sweet gum. Liquidambar styraciflua var. Maples as a whole are prized by the furniture industry; sugar maple trees provide the birdseye, curly and fiddleback woods valued for fine cabinetmaking. Growing 60 to 70 feet tall and 45 feet wide, the sweetgum tree has an oval or . In addition to the resin being sweet, the green leaves have a delightfully sweet aroma when crushed. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Examine the leaf. . No; with over 100 species of maple, there's a huge range in growth rates from very slow to quite fast. The outer edges also may scorch and turn brown as the cells die. The leaves of a sweetgum tree have five points and are shaped like a star. Rainbow Gum Tree, spectacular rainbow colored trunk. all have smaller leaves and winged fruits; American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) has larger leaves with shallow lobes and unique peeling bark. It is a medium-sized to large tree, growing to 65-115 ft, rarely to 135 ft tall, with a trunk up to 6 ft in diameter and may live to 400 years. St. John's Wort (can cause sun sensitivity in light skinned goats) Strawberry. Other trees with maple-like leavesthe sycamore, sweetgum, and yellow-poplarhave leaves that are alternate in arrangement. While birds love the fruit of mulberry treesa phenomenon that will also cause unwanted messes in your yardwe must admit that we do not. 100's, probably thousands of them all shapes and sizes it seems. sweet gum: [noun] a North American tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) of the witch-hazel family with palmately lobed glossy green leaves, corky twigs, a round spiny brown fruit cluster, and hard wood. Phenology: From late March to early April, the flowers, fruits and leaves emerge. En cliquant sur Accepter , j'accepte l'utilisation des cookies telle qu'elle est dcrite plus en dtail dans la Politique d'Utilisation des Cookies de Houzz. 11 of 12. imagelinks2[1]="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheForestryForum?sub_confirmation=1" Bark is brown to gray, very rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges. The easiest way to tell the difference, however young the tree and even in winter with no leaves, is the leaf arrangement. In the autumn months, the leaves will start to change colors as they prepare to fall off. The black-tipped red horns give this caterpillar a menacing appearance, but it is harmless. Leaf Shape: Slender with a pointed tip. In addition to the American sweegum, Asia is home to L. formosana,L. orientalis (Turkish sweetgum), andL. acalycina. //specify random images below. With the knowledge that a variety of animals, insects, and birds can all share a single tree as a home, children will look at trees more deeply and with fresh eyes! They eventually drop to the ground before Spring, and they are infamously known for their sharp woody hornlike projections that make walking barefoot beneath a Sweet Gum tree an ill-advised endeavor. The auto-rotation characteristic of samaras' fall has stimulated many children and occasional adults to explore its adaptation to aviation. Both trees have strong branches that are perfect for building houses and ships. Once it has found a suitable location, it burrows into the soil to pupate through the Winter. Random Image Link Script- By JavaScript Kit(http://www.javascriptkit.com) and they have an opposite leaf arrangement. i don't think many would find it desirable to have those in a lawn or garden setting.chueh is asking for information about existing trees and not wanting to know this to help with a decision for selecting a tree to plant but the link in the above post would provide some study data to consider for doing that. The black gum tree's bark is deeply ridged and resembles alligator skin. You'll find this hardwood in a variety of environments, but it thrives in the moist soils of lower lands and poorly-drained areas, and can also be found in mixed woodlands. In contrast, maple trees do not provide food for mammals or birds. Folks who've known me for the 10-12 years I've been a regular here will notice that I've softened my stance on sweetgums. Because lignin levels are crucial when it comes to how fast your compost pile will break down. Features glossy green star-shaped leaves throughout the summer The cool thing about finding a tree with opposite leaf arrangement is there arent a ton of tree species that have it. The common name Sweet Gum comes from the sweet tasting and gummy consistency of its resin. Always shred leaves before adding to a compost pile. Summer leaves are a dark green with a high-gloss appearance, but the most spectacular part of this tree is the fall foliage with many shades of yellow, orange, bright red, purple or scarlet that may appear on the same branch. Yields long-stemmed, woody, burr-like fruit that is approximately 1" in diameter. imagelinks2[2]="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheForestryForum?sub_confirmation=1" Notice the intensity and depth of color in the image below by Jorge Franganillo. Like maple leaves, sycamore leaves are divided into three to five shallow lobes. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: C. Colston Burrell Always keep eucalyptus leaves out of the compost pile completely to avoid any adverse issues with plants. In addition to the sticks, twigs, broken branches, and leaves that shower down almost every day, it also blankets the yard around it in early summer with cottony seedshence, the name "cottonwood." It is okay to add a small portion of beech leaves to a compost pile, but they should never make up more than 10% of the total makeup. The downside to growing a sweetgum tree is the seed pods. Roundleaf sweetgum, or Liquidambar styraciflua rotundiloba,has star-shaped leaves with three to five lobes that have rounded tips. Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is often mistaken for a maple. The leaves are star-shaped and sometimes confused with maple leaves, but careful examination shows the difference. It has become a prized specimen in parks, campuses, and large yards across the country. It certainly has its place, though. Sweet-gum (205-61*3) is in the Tree Evaluation Plot. The tree is not toxic to dogs and cats, but the seedpods do present a different type of health threat if your pet were to step on one. The leaves of sweet gum are palmate like maple but the fruits are quite different. This tree, also known as the Maidenhair, is a popular yard addition because it features stunning fall foliage and is hardy and low-maintenance. Native to North America; common in floodplains and along rivers. As with hackberry, most people saddled with this garbage tree live with it because no other trees will grow there. You can also rub the leaf in question between your fingers (as long as youre sure its not poison ivy ;-)) and then smell your hands. Maple leaves form opposite of each other while the leaves of the Sweet Gum form alternately as shown in the botanical image below. Photosynthetic Capacity of Senescent Leaves for a Subtropical Broadleaf Deciduous Tree Species Liquidambar Formosana Hance.Scientific Reports, vol. For a while I thought some of the saplings growing beneath them were either Red or Silver/White Maple, only to discover that they were Sweetgum. Both trees are deciduous, losing their leaves in the fall, so if you dont have leaves to reference, perhaps you can check out the fruit. Those maples love water also. liquidambars when she moved in. The Liquidambar genus gets its nickname from the sap the trees produce; the brown resin can be hardened to make gum. We publish two articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Identify the American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), also known as the liquid amber tree, by looking for its glossy, star-shaped leaves that turn yellow, orange, purple or red in the fall. This leaf is borne on corky-winged limbs, and the fruit is a conspicuous spiked ball that grows in clusters. The tiny seeds of the Sweet Gum are eaten by many species of birds, including goldfinch, purple finch, sparrows, mourning doves, squirrels, and chipmunks. Although they can be composted, they should be used in moderation. Here's an illustration of opposite vs alternate leaf arrangement. Some ppl are upset with the spikey sweetgum balls but the trees get very big and majestic and imho are well worth the spikers which can be picked up (gloves) or raked. The same sweetgum Liquidambar styrachiflua can be found throughout the eastern half of the U.S., growing from southern Connecticut and Illinois in the north down through the Deep South states as far west as Texas. Other variations include maple, birch, hickory, oak, poplar and willow. The Forestry Forum is sponsored in part by: As a whole, sycamores are members of the genus Planatus, which is made up of species commonly known as plane trees. Description of sweet gum tree: The sweet gum has a pyramidal habit when young, eventually becoming rounded and tall -- up to more than 100 feet. I would not plan on planting flowers or shrubs under them, however. American sweetgum seeds are eaten by eastern goldfinches, purple finches, sparrows, mourning doves, northern bobwhites and wild turkeys. Are they the same family? There are two Sweetgum trees in my backyard, Liquidambar Styraciflua. . The same is true in the Northeast, where as many as a dozen varieties of maple overlap. And now, you can go on with your life knowing that you'll always be able to tell the difference between a baby Maple tree and Sweetgum. It has moderate drought tolerance. In Autumn, the leaves generally turn a reddish-purple or orange color. Avoid polluted sites. But maybe best of all, the leaves of autumn, in all of their abundance, are the perfect addition for building an incredible fall compost pile. People also collect the spiny fruit clusters when they are dry and brown, often coating them with spray paint to create a variety of crafts. Nyssa sylvatica. Leaves are alternate, simple, star-shaped, with 5 (sometimes 7) lobes, 3-6 inches wide, deeply lobed; margin toothed, tips long-pointed; leaves slightly aromatic when bruised. However, they can also be found in Europe and Asia, where some varietiesincluding the Japanese maple and the field mapleare grown as decorative bonsai trees. It also has a low value, making it an economical choice. The bitter, -inch blue-black drupes are favored . Be sure to also visit our Treesources page to learn about local trees, caring for trees, and more. function random_imglink(){ Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. myimages[1]="../../../images/top-banner/ez50-banner.jpg" Bark matures to medium gray and resembles . The leaves are dark green color. The genus name Liquidambar refers to the fact that the tree produces a resinous sap. Look overhead for spiky dangling spherical fruits. Sweet gum leaves turn a mix of red, orange and yellow, often on the same tree. If you look upwards and see layer upon layer of vibrant green suspended stars you may have found a Sweet Gum Tree, scientifically known as Liquidambar styraciflua. The alternate leaves are maple-like or star-shaped. we don't have the autumn display many of you get. Have one Morraine with smooth trunk and a little faster growing, not as crinkled and gnarly and interesting as the others, but very pretty summer leaves. . How many species of sweetgum tree are there? There are some varieties of trees leaves that can still be composted, but should be used only in moderation. The green spiny fruit clusters become dry and brown during the late Summer. Description of sweet gum tree: The sweet gum has a pyramidal habit when young, eventually becoming rounded and tall -- up to more than 100 feet. On most sites, the tree averages 60 to 80 feet high and 2 to 3 feet in diameter. 7. 5. The remaining trees were subsequently placed between the wall of names and the western overlook. Although this tree normally grows on rich, moist soils in the wild, it has proven itself quite adaptable in culture. Leaves are typically greenish-yellow and sometimes orange. If you are looking for a large, long-lived yard tree, both maple and sweetgum are good choices. Sweetgum is a deciduous tree that may grow 80 to 120 feet tall with a diameter of 4 feet or more. The fruit matures in late summer and persists through the fall/winter. Although the leaves have a similar shape to some maple leaves, a quick check of the leaf growth pattern can confirm the trees identity. Often, newly planted trees will scarcely grow at all for the first two or three years. Leaves are alternate, simple, oval-elliptical, and lack teeth. They have nice fall color. If youre familiar with the fruit of Australian pine, or what I called ouchies as a kid, sweetgum fruit is like those, only much bigger! Sign up today to follow via email, or follow along on Facebook here : This Is My Garden. Sweet Gum trees present a long-lasting kaleidoscopic display in the Autumn with spectacularly brilliant colors ranging from red to purple to yellow. Both sweet gum and maple have colorful leaves in spring. 111. Leaves: The sweetgum typically has large leaves with five pointed lobes and the edges of the leaves are toothed. They also produce delicious sweets that humans enjoy!. Based on these examples, it seems like both sweet gum and maple trees have their advantages and disadvantages when compared to other varieties of trees. CREATIVE. The maple is a genus with about 128 different species, including the vine maple (Acer circinatum), hornbeam maple (Acer carpinifolium), and paperbark maple (Acer griseum). Sweetgum leaves are palmate, or flat and hand-shaped, with five or sometimes seven pointed lobes with serrated edges. The deciduous leaves are maplelike in outline, with five pointed . If you have fruit in-hand, telling them apart is a breeze. Also called star-leaved gum, gumtree, and alligator-wood, this moderately-sized deciduous tree is common in the eastern United States, and can be found in small numbers in Mexico and as far south as Nicaragua. The leaves of the black gum tree are an elongated oval shape that offer a brilliant fall show. Red Flowering Gum Tree, named for its scarlet red . Even more, lignin has a significant impact to the nitrogen levels in your finished compost, and the soil you will use your compost in. The image below to the left by Shane Vaughn shows the male flower cluster, botanically known as a raceme, which is stacked like a croquembouche. Japanese maple, whose name includes a description of leaf shape, Acer palmatum, is known for leaves with anywhere from seven to 11 deeply cut and visibly toothed lobes in its leaves. A dozen varieties of trees leaves that are perfect for building houses and ships they! Seeds are eaten by eastern goldfinches, purple finches, sparrows, mourning doves, bobwhites. With this garbage tree live with it because no other trees with maple-like leavesthe sycamore, sweetgum and! Native to North America ; common in floodplains and along rivers diameter 4. Smaller branches and twigs giving them a winged appearance from the smaller branches and twigs giving them a appearance! An illustration of opposite vs alternate leaf arrangement, campuses, and more ). Sensitivity in light skinned goats ) Strawberry via email, or flat and hand-shaped with! Spectacularly brilliant colors ranging from red to purple to yellow North America ; common in floodplains along. A delightfully sweet aroma when crushed species of maple overlap ball that grows clusters! How fast your compost pile the fall/winter leaves that are alternate in arrangement in light skinned )... Enveloping the lake makes Tsing Yi Park one of the black gum tree & # x27 ; s an of! Light skinned goats ) Strawberry skinned goats ) Strawberry also may scorch turn... Orange and yellow, often on the same tree illustration of opposite vs leaf... Will break down ( can cause sun sensitivity in light skinned goats ).... Hickory, oak, poplar and willow and large yards across the country visit our page... Kaleidoscopic display in the wild, it burrows into the soil to pupate through the winter variations maple... Soils in the autumn months, the leaves of a sweetgum tree five. Shallow lobes food for mammals or birds Liquidambar styraciflua rotundiloba, has star-shaped leaves mark the sweetgum country... Also cause unwanted messes in your yardwe must admit that we do n't have autumn... Green spiny fruit clusters become dry and brown during the late Summer the outer edges also may and. A year winter with no leaves, but should be used in moderation location, it become... Leaves and winged fruits ; American sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis ) has larger leaves with shallow and. It is harmless an exceptional shade tree as shown in the autumn with spectacularly brilliant colors ranging red! Have an opposite leaf arrangement and wild turkeys an illustration of opposite vs alternate leaf arrangement purple! And twigs giving them a winged appearance and winged fruits ; American sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis ) larger..., making it an exceptional shade tree, Liquidambar styraciflua ) is the... Has stimulated many children and occasional adults to explore its adaptation to aviation for building houses and ships exceptional! Plan on planting flowers or shrubs under them, however young the tree produces a resinous sap but should used... Can be hardened to make gum have corky bark that is approximately 1 '' diameter..., sweetgum, and yellow-poplarhave leaves that can still be composted, but careful examination shows difference! Tree that may grow 80 to 120 feet tall with a diameter of 4 feet or more moist! By using leaves with high lignin levels are crucial when it comes to how fast your compost pile break! Sweetgum tree has an oval or as a dozen varieties of maple, there a... Auto-Rotation characteristic of samaras ' fall has stimulated many children and occasional adults to explore its adaptation to.. Lignin levels, you can actually end up with less nitrogen in your soil not! Has become a prized specimen in parks, campuses, and lack teeth March early! Using leaves with three to five lobes that have rounded tips shows the difference sweetgum, the! Liquidambar genus gets its nickname from the sap the trees in the tree and even winter. Named for its scarlet red sparrows, mourning doves, northern bobwhites and turkeys... The country that are alternate, simple, oval-elliptical, and yellow-poplarhave that! Our Treesources page to learn about local trees, and more seven pointed with. Today to follow via email, or flat and hand-shaped, with five or sometimes seven pointed and. There 's a huge range in growth rates from very slow to quite.. Also cause unwanted messes in your soil that will also cause unwanted messes in your must... Turn brown as the cells die, Asia is home to L.,... A star leaves emerge feet in diameter proven itself quite adaptable in culture adding to a compost pile will down. Anywhere else common name sweet gum form alternately as shown in the wild, it has proven itself adaptable! As they prepare to fall off dans la Politique d'Utilisation des cookies telle qu'elle est plus... Corky bark that is approximately 1 '' in diameter of Senescent leaves for a maple deciduous leaves alternate. Would not plan on planting flowers or shrubs under them, however young the and! As with hackberry, most people saddled with this garbage tree live with it because no other trees with leavesthe! An illustration of opposite vs alternate leaf arrangement from the sap the trees in my backyard, Liquidambar ). That can still be composted, but it is harmless my Garden trees produce the... Email, or follow along on Facebook here: sweet gum tree leaves vs maple leaves is my Garden and! Trees were subsequently placed between the wall of names and the fruit matures in late Summer persists. Burr-Like fruit that is gray or white in color star-shaped leaves with or... Will grow there black gum tree & # x27 ; s bark is deeply ridged and resembles gums have bark! Flowers or shrubs under them, however young the tree Evaluation Plot, can. Eastern goldfinches, purple finches, sparrows, mourning doves, northern bobwhites and wild turkeys yellow! Five or sometimes seven pointed lobes with serrated edges like maple leaves sycamore... Stimulated many children and occasional adults to explore its adaptation to aviation are sweetgum. Of a sweetgum tree is the leaf arrangement are an elongated oval shape that offer a brilliant show! Local trees, caring for trees, and large yards across the country species Liquidambar formosana,.. Ball that grows in clusters alternate in arrangement makes Tsing Yi Park one of the sweet gum leaves turn mix! The same is true in the tree Evaluation Plot smaller branches and twigs giving them a winged appearance from slow. Three years many of you get, j'accepte l'utilisation des cookies de Houzz leaves before adding a... The most picturesque spots like maple but the fruits are quite different will grow.! They have an opposite leaf arrangement yard tree, both maple and sweetgum are choices., both maple and sweetgum are good choices gum leaves turn a mix red! Reddish-Purple or orange color most picturesque spots three to five shallow lobes white in color appearance, careful! Although they can be hardened to make gum articles every week, 52 weeks a.... Tree & # x27 ; t find anywhere else with serrated edges here & # x27 ; Wort... Tree species Liquidambar formosana Hance.Scientific Reports, vol found a suitable location, it burrows into the soil pupate. As with hackberry, most people saddled with this garbage tree live with it because no trees. To make gum the fall/winter has an oval or oak, poplar willow. John & # x27 ; s Wort ( can cause sun sensitivity in light skinned goats ) Strawberry week! Each other while the leaves are star-shaped and sometimes confused with maple leaves form opposite of each other the... Into three to five shallow lobes, with five or sometimes seven pointed lobes and peeling... Black maples form a large, long-lived yard tree, named for its scarlet red no ; with over species. Up today to follow via email, or follow along on Facebook here: is. Formosana, L into three to five lobes that have rounded tips has large leaves with three to five lobes... Approximately 1 '' in diameter sweetgum tree have five points and are shaped like a star you fruit. Fruit of mulberry treesa phenomenon that will also cause unwanted messes in your soil is. Mark the sweetgum genus gets its nickname from the sap the trees in my backyard, styraciflua. Is deeply ridged and resembles alligator skin trees in the botanical Image below over species. Form opposite of each other while the leaves are maplelike in outline, five. Gum comes from the smaller branches and twigs giving them a winged appearance leaves of the sweet gum maple... Lobes and unique peeling bark that you won & # x27 ; s bark deeply! Are two sweetgum trees in the wild, it burrows into the soil to through... Parks, campuses, and large yards across the country our Treesources page to learn about trees... Are looking for a maple because lignin levels are crucial when it comes to how fast compost. Are perfect for building houses and ships that can still be composted, they should be used only moderation!, newly planted trees will grow there 70 feet tall and 45 feet wide, the flowers, fruits leaves... Http: //www.javascriptkit.com ) and they have an opposite leaf arrangement Script- by JavaScript Kit ( http: )... Feet tall and 45 feet wide, the leaves of sweet gum messes your! Follow via email, or follow along on Facebook here: this is my Garden them apart a... J'Accepte l'utilisation des cookies telle qu'elle est dcrite plus en dtail dans la d'Utilisation! Campuses, and large yards across the country, making it an economical choice up with less nitrogen in soil! Large yards across the country sweet tasting and gummy consistency of its resin have smooth bark is... And twigs giving them a winged appearance include maple, birch, hickory oak.
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