American Sweet Gum Tree Bark
The bark on the trunk is light gray in color with deep rounded ridges.
American sweet gum tree bark. The trunk of a mature gum tree may be five feet in diameter. The american sweetgum gets its scientific and common name from the gummy sap that is found directly under that bark and seeps out when the tree is wounded. Leaves slightly aromatic when bruised. The reason for the sweetgum s name is that early american pioneers used to peel the bark off of the tree and scrape the gum off of the bark which was used as chewing gum and also another resin derivative from the tree is used in fragrances pharmeceuticals soaps and natural medicines.
Margin toothed tips long pointed. Sweet gum trees may reach heights from 80 to 150 feet and they may spread to 45 feet wide. Leaves are alternate simple star shaped with 5 sometimes 7 lobes 3 6 inches wide deeply lobed. This resin is sometimes called liquid amber because of its golden color and sweet odor.
The range of. The american sweet gum tree liquidambar styraciflua grows in eastern woodlands from southern connecticut to northern illinois to texas to central florida. Facts on the sweet gum tree. The american sweetgum is often planted as a street tree in surburban areas but it also can tend to form.
Trees are the backbone of any good landscape plan. Sweet gum is a large tree with a long cylindrical trunk pyramidal crown and corky wings on branches and twigs. Trees vary in height the shape of their canopies type of foliage fall color flowers or fruit as well as other. Gum trees can grow in moderately moist soil conditions but they prefer wet bottomland.
Twigs are reddish. In some trees especially in the northern part of the range the bark on the.