. In fact, there are areas close to my neighborhood where the sidewalks are currently closed as the city goes through its endless process of removing broken concrete, cutting roots, leveling and re-laying concrete. Maple leaves have higher levels of nitrogen and calcium, which of course, are both perfect for plants, and a compost pile. NC State Extension. Sweetgum leaves are palmate, or flat and hand-shaped, with five or sometimes seven pointed lobes with serrated edges. we don't have the autumn display many of you get. The bark is gray-brown with irregular furrows and rough, rounded ridges. var myimages2=new Array() The female flower head droops downward from a two-inch long light green peduncle, or stem. Because the leaves of these species can look so similar, it can be hard to tell exactly what you are looking at. How many species of sweetgum tree are there? Black gum trees are a little smaller, reaching a full height of only 30-50 feet, according to the University of Kentucky. Each leaf is on its own layer and is easily separated from the other leaves and from the white background and shadows. //specify corresponding links below Nyssa sylvatica grows to 20-25 metres (66-82 ft) tall, rarely to 35 metres (115 ft), with a trunk diameter of 50-100 centimetres (20-39 in), rarely up to 170 centimetres (67 in). Our Sweet Gum tree is located on the edge of Bayne Park along North Balph Avenue near the flagpole. Mo, Th, Fr, Sa: 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Bark matures to medium gray and resembles . If you have fruit in-hand, telling them apart is a breeze. During Autumn, leaves turn a bright red or an bright orange. Description : Sweet gum is a large tree with a long, cylindrical trunk, pyramidal crown, and corky wings on branches and twigs. Most of the Red Maple leaves are a light or a pale green to a whitish. I can't think of a messier tree. Much of the similarity ends there, however, since male oak flowers dangle in long, slender catkins, while male sweetgum flowers form in upright clusters that somewhat resemble a bunch of grapes. Flower and fruit: Flowers are small and insignificant. The common name Sweet Gum comes from the sweet tasting and gummy consistency of its resin. They can also be found scattered on the ground once they have dried and fallen. Their waxy leaves also tend to take much longer to compost as well. 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. It has unique red, yellow, and white springtime leaves that are distinct from other trees. The Oriental sweet gum thrives in USDA zones 7 - 9 and grows between 20 and 30 ft. (6 - 10 m) tall. The real difference is that the Red Maple has lighter and smoother bark then the Sugar Maple. 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. Other trees with "maple-like" leavesthe sycamore, sweetgum, and yellow-poplarhave leaves that are alternate in arrangement. Young trees up to 4-8 inches with a smooth light gray bark, developing into gray or black ridges and ultimately narrow scaly plates. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. I've been tempted, at times, to plant 'Rotundiloba', just 'cause I think the leaves look kind of 'neat'.Lest you think I've gone too soft, though, rest assured that I'm working diligently to eliminate each and every one of the accursed things from my property here.Some say that familiarity breeds contempt, and I'm very familiar with L.styraciflua. Sweetgum leaves are palmate, or flat and hand-shaped, with five or sometimes seven pointed lobes with serrated edges. Between two websites about maple trees, more than 30 varieties are listed as growing in the U.S., from the very large black, or rock, maple, Acer nigrum, to the small and dwarf Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. How To Overwinter Mums The Simple Secrets To Saving Hardy Mums! It doesn't take much for a wind storm to blow in a batch from a tree across the highway. | bwc84202464. Fall Leaves. 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. 9, no. Because of their beautiful coloring, maples are often grown as ornamental trees. } myimages2[1]="../../../images/top-banner/behindtheforum.jpg" myimages[3]="../../../images/top-banner/LX25-FreeShipping.jpg" Sycamores are often found in humid continental climates, especially in wetlands and areas near rivers and streams. In severe chlorosis even the veins may turn yellow or the leaf may even turn white. Fall color can be quite dramatic, with a combination of yellows, reds, and . Opposite on maples and alternate on sweet gum. Updated: 00/04/25 Tree size: This slow-growing tree attains a height of 30 to 50 feet and a width of 20 to 30 feet. Mine can take endless standing water. This variant, also known as fruitless sweetgum or thornless sweetgum, produces fewer if any sweetgum balls, making it better for urban areas, though like the fruit-bearing sweetgum, it has extensive root systems that can disrupt concrete. Most maple trees are between 30 and 150 feet tall, with flowers that are yellow, orange, red, or green. Especially when you consider they are completely free for the taking. Those maples love water also. Cannot imagine that their beauty, in an autumn-foliage- starved land such as ours would not out weigh the nuisance of their prickle balls. American Sweetgum. Of course there are exceptions to this rule, but hopefully you see where Im going here. Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive sweetgum. var myimages=new Array() Do not plant near driveways or sidewalks due to the aggressive root system. Btw, 9 years ago when the question was originally asked Chueh didn't appear to feel fun was being made by 'plant nerds'. Maple Leaves. In the late Summer it leaves the tree and wanders on the ground. The sap, known as storax, has been used for centuries to treat common ailments such as skin problems, coughs, and ulcers. The tree is particularly choice when it changes color in fall. When it comes to the best of the best, maple leaves are certainly at the top of the list. Mississippi State University Extension Service. Sweetgum tree bark looks light gray with vertical fissured ridges. In the fall, their leaves turn brilliant shades of yellow and red. All leaves have a tendency to bind together when left whole. 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). Turnips. Her work focuses on wildlife, water, and general environmental education. "The american sweetgum we generally see is "Liquidambar Styraciflua" to scientists. The major maples have leaves that are divided into three to five lobes. Maples come from a huge family of trees. imagelinks[6]="http://www.ezboardwalk.com/" Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Known as one of the largest caterpillars in North America it can grow to the size of a hotdog. The bark is dark gray and flaky when young, but it becomes furrowed with age, resembling alligator hide on very . Southern nicknames for sweetgum include red gum and alligator wood. Here's an illustration of opposite vs alternate leaf arrangement. Product link : Earthwise Electric Chipper/Shredder. Maple samaras are more easily trod on, flat-winged pods each containing a single-seed fruit. Scientific name of sweet gum tree: Liquidambar Styraciflua. Random Image Link Script- By JavaScript Kit(http://www.javascriptkit.com) So far, he's only become a doctor. The fruit matures in late summer and persists through the fall/winter. Sweetgum seed delivery involves 1-to-1 1/4-inch-sized balls containing many individual fruits, ending in sharp-pronged points and each containing one or two long-winged seeds. The Sweetgum tree is native to the southeastern United States and a member of a genus made up of only six species. The American sweetgum grows to a height of 6075' and a spread of 4050' at maturity. Some species of maple have reddish-purple bark; it has distinct ridges and is hard to distinguish from the trees branches. Vector illustration. The star-shaped leaves are 3-5 inches long and 3-7 inches wide with 5-7 sharply pointed lobes. Small mammals such as chipmunks, red squirrels and gray squirrels also enjoy the fruits and seeds. Sweet Gum . and they have an opposite leaf arrangement. 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. The tiny seeds of the Sweet Gum are eaten by many species of birds, including goldfinch, purple finch, sparrows, mourning doves, squirrels, and chipmunks. Always shred leaves before adding to a compost pile. Think I read someplace its almost the only tree in that family. The larva of the Regal Moth, known as the Hickory Horned Devil can be found dining upon the leaves of the Sweet Gum. Removing the tree permanently by cutting it down is the most effective solution for removing the sweetgum ball problem from your lawn, then following up by replacing it with a . From a distance these tree species can easily be mistaken for one another, but on closer inspection there are plenty of ways to tell them apart. 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. 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 American sweetgum grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained, wet and clay soils. These brown "gumballs" are sturdy, able to survive being stepped on. Luo, Zidong, et al. Like the sweetgum and the yellow-poplar, the sycamore has leaves that are alternate in arrangement. Sweetgum fruit is a round, spikey and woody ball of capsules that is about one to one-and-a-half inches in diameter. The leaves of a maple tree are quite distinct, but that leaf shape does not belong to maple trees alone. Sweet potato leaves. Roundleaf sweetgum, or Liquidambar styraciflua rotundiloba,has star-shaped leaves with three to five lobes that have rounded tips. Provides brilliant fall color, with leaves turning vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red and purple. The new, young leaves of Sweetgum frequently have more--rather than fewer--lobes, and have more pronounced teeth. imagelinks2[2]="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheForestryForum?sub_confirmation=1" I have several baby sweetgums. Leaves of Plants Pictogram Set Pictograms Tree Leaves, Dogrose, Oak, Iberian Oak, Maple, Liquidambar, Hawthorn, Poplar Silver, Hazel, Elm, Birch, Linden, Rowan, Chestnut, Buckeye, Viburnum . Red Flowering Gum Tree, named for its scarlet red . Although all of these varieties have thinner membranes that break down quickly, they all benefit from being shredded before adding to the compost pile. The downside to growing a sweetgum tree is the seed pods. The leaves of the Fruitless Sweetgum turn deep purple in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7) and early winter (USDA hardiness zones 8 and 9). Maple Leaves. Children have chewed the resinous sap like chewing gum. Uses for sweet gum tree: The sweet gum is a perfect choice for parks, large lots, and street plantings (as long as the tree's massive roots are not in the way). Identifying Elms With Basic Characteristics. Yields long-stemmed, woody, burr-like fruit that is approximately 1" in diameter. I've read that both maples and sweetgums can develop extensive roots through decades. Started by Gumpisan Sometimes we call these winged samaras. A study of the Chinese sweetgum, Liquidambar formosana, suggests they are also efficient contributors to carbon sink because they retain high photosynthetic activity even as their leaves begin to drop. Bark is brown to gray, very rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges. 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. 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. Hopefully, the article about sweet gum leaf vs maple above meets your needs, everyone has a better idea, please leave a comment below, all your suggestions help us create better and better articles for everyone. Maple leaves form opposite of each other while the leaves of the Sweet Gum form alternately as shown in the botanical image below. random_imglink() The male flower clusters fall to the ground. Like oak trees, beech trees also have a higher level of lignin. Houzz utilise des cookies et d'autres technologies de suivi similaires pour personnaliser mon exprience utilisateur, me proposer du contenu pertinent et amliorer ses produits et services. Vector illustration of five colorful autumn leaves: Pin Oak, Japanese Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Laceleaf Japanese Maple and American Sweetgum (Redgum). Sunflowers. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up at the sycamore tree (actually a sycamore-fig Ficus sycomorus), addressed Zacchaeus by name, and told him to come down, for he intended to visit his house. Search from Sweet Gum Leaf stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. The tree is located in Alley Pond Park in Queens and is visible from Interstate 495. How do I perform a reduction cut on the trunk where branches are thin? 11 of 12. Other trees with "maple-like" leavesthe sycamore, sweetgum, and yellow-poplarhave leaves that are alternate in arrangement. Personnaliser mon exprience l'aide de cookies, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists. The ultimate difference between sweetgum and maple trees is planted in the minds of children at first contact. Needs plenty of space for root development. 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. The black-tipped red horns give this caterpillar a menacing appearance, but it is harmless. For those who are starting to learn about tree identification, books that focus on the trees you are most likely to see in the environment around you are the most effective. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: C. Colston Burrell 412-766-7447 Sweet gum is a large tree with a long, cylindrical trunk, pyramidal crown, and corky wings on branches and twigs. Illustration uses linear gradients. In Autumn, the leaves generally turn a reddish-purple or orange color. (Zones 5-9) They are usually about inch long and appear in the spring. if (ry==0) Its fruit cluster is a round ball often persisting in winter, as if the naked branches had been hung with woody Christmas ornaments. Trees of Pennsylvania and the Northeast by Charles Fergus covers over fifty trees found in our region. The leaves are dark green color. Maple leaves form opposite of each other while the leaves of the Sweet Gum form alternately as shown in the botanical image below. Additionally, eucalyptus trees have many commercial for their wood and are used to create paper. Photosynthetic Capacity of Senescent Leaves for a Subtropical Broadleaf Deciduous Tree Species Liquidambar Formosana Hance.Scientific Reports, vol. In winter, and all year round, for the most part, mature trees still have a few sweetgum balls hanging about the branches here and there. For this reason, the tree is also known as the tulip tree. (Zones 5-9). They are typically grown as ornamental trees, and sycamore wood is used to make furniture, boxes, and crates. Instead it relies on the wind to carry the seeds away from the parent tree. i don't read where lucky said directly that it is a bad tree for you -just a bad one for him. The black gum tree's bark is deeply ridged and resembles alligator skin. 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. 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! Sweet-gum (205-61*3) is in the Tree Evaluation Plot. The more lignin that is present, the harder it is to break down the material. Both are relatively low in vulnerability to disease. If you want to find out what they are, leave a few to . Latin Name Acer then something or other. Nutrients that energize the compost, all while adding large amounts of organic matter to it as well. Once commercially popular for soaps, adhesives and pharmaceuticals, today its wood is valuable for fine furniture and interior finishing. Trees Image Gallery. One of the most attractive native trees around. When left to grow to their heart's content, sweetgum and water gum trees will reach a height of up to 130 feet. These leaves are small, and will easily . Thank you for all your input. Once the female flower has been wind pollinated, it forms a green spiky cluster which is an aggregate of fruit. The same is true in the Northeast, where as many as a dozen varieties of maple overlap. They grow best in temperate climates with distinct seasons. Lobes on many varieties are, however, smaller than the center of the leaf and range from very to only slightly pointy. random_imglink2() ry=1 They grow hard spiky fruit, or gumballs, and have star shaped leaves similar to those of a maple tree. 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. The cone-shaped crown becomes rounded as the tree matures. But maple leaves also have another big advantage for compost piles in that they are extremely low in lignin. 1. The Most Common North American Hardwood Trees, Hardwood Trees: Identifying the Most Common Species, Identifying Common North American Conifers, How to Identify Maple, Sycamore, Yellow-Poplar, and Sweetgum Leaves, Ten Most Common Trees in the United States, Identify a Tree Using Leaf Shape, Margin, and Venation, Why Manchineel Might Be Earth's Most Dangerous Tree, Illustrations of Common Eastern United States Trees by Charles Sprague Sargent, Identifying Wild Mushrooms: What to Eat, What to Avoid, Photosynthetic Capacity of Senescent Leaves for a Subtropical Broadleaf Deciduous Tree Species Liquidambar Formosana Hance, Sweetgum: An Ancient Source of Beneficial Compounds with Modern Benefits. The cool thing about finding a tree with opposite leaf arrangement is there arent a ton of tree species that have it. Product link : Earthwise Electric Chipper/Shredder. They are also, of course, used for their syrup, especially in North America where the maple leaf appears on the Canadian flag. Leaf Shape: Slender with a pointed tip. Pro: The wood has many uses, including flooring, lumber, and paper pulp among other things. They also produce delicious sweets that humans enjoy!. Rarely reaches 100 feet in the wild. The deciduous leaves are maplelike in outline, with five pointed lobes and lightly toothed margins. For mature trees, look for the fruits. 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. But the sap, which is called storax, is more than just a chewy candy: Sweetgum trees and their sap have been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years, and researchers continue to study the use of sweetgum trees in medical settings, including the use of the storax to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria. Location: upcountry SC-- Sweetgum capital of the world! "Sweet Gum Tree" Notice the intensity and depth of color in the image below by Jorge Franganillo. These trees typically have a straight trunk with the branches extending outward at right angles. Sweet gum trees bloom with inconspicuous, yellowish-green flowers in the spring that turn to seedpods which are often called gumballs in the fall. The star-like leaf has five or seven lobes or points and turns from green in summer to yellow or purple in autumn. Sweetgum trees are found in parts of Asia and in the Americas. After examining the very young Sweetgum trees in my own backyard, I feel the need to defend your confusion between the species, especially after all the plant-nerds made fun of your totally valid question. 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. ;-)his reply addressed the question about surface roots (in an area with similar growing conditions to the one of the poster) and the comments accurately describe the sweetgums at the wooded perimeter of my yard; ripples of large, exposed roots extending out a long way from the trunk. When it comes to the best of the best, maple leaves are certainly at the top of the list. Sweetgum is native throughout Kentucky, except the Bluegrass. Interesting Facts: In rural areas, children made bubble gum by combining sweetgum sap with other local fruits. A 133-foot yellow-poplar known as the Queens Giant, or the Alley Pond Giant, is believed to be the oldest living thing in New York City. Sweetgum. Thursday: 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Introduction: Sweetgum is an excellent urban tree provided it has a large area for root development. But high levels of lignin also cause another issue in that they love to devour nitrogen. It is native to the southeastern US. Maple is in the family Aceraceae while sweet gum in in the family Altingiaceae. The leaves flutter easily in the slightest of breezes and form a rounded canopy. Mature leaves are 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 cm.) My front yard is a blazing glory thanks to the sweetgums in mine and my neighbors yards5 altogether. Learn more about mulberry. Maples are one of the few trees that have OPPOSITE leaf arrangement. In addition, squirrels love to eat maple seeds, which provide nourishment for their offspring. Have you wondered why a tree would produce sticky or gummy resin? 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. Grows 60'-70', with a 45' spread. imagelinks[3]="https://woodmizer.com/Store/Shop/Portable-Sawmills/LX25-Portable-Sawmill?utm_source=forestryforum.com&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=lx25&utm_term=2023-02-10&utm_content=800x160" This iconic tree is easy to identify, in large part because of its distinctive leaves and notable fruit. Twigs: Most Red Maple twigs appear to be slender and glossy. Both sweet gum and maple have colorful leaves in spring. Learn more about all the Trees of Bayne Park and explore our Interactive Bayne Park Tree Map to see the locations, photographs, and names of over a dozen different species of trees. This leaf shape resembles a star. The bark is grayish brown and deeply furrowed. Ta Dahere I come, cape flying, in defense of my wonderful, adored liquidambars. With theirs turning earlier than ours we enjoy amazing colors in golds and reds from Oct. through Dec. imagelinks2[3]="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheForestryForum?sub_confirmation=1" Maple species (Acer spp.) To distinguish them, look at the teeth on the leaf edges. All of these are well balanced in their nutrients. Red maple leaves are more toothed, while the lobes on sugar maples have smoother edges. 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. //specify corresponding links below Chalk maple, Acer leucoderma, thrives from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas, overlapping with the Florida maple, Acer barbatum. It is often used in landscaping and in the production of honey. They have nice fall color. Species of sweetgum trees are found around the world, from North America (Liquidambar styraciflua) to China (Liquidambar acalycina) to Greece and Turkey (Liquidambar orientalis). Sweet-gum (1645-23*1) is in the . They range in color from green to yellow to deep red. Liquidambars are well known for developing a lot of surface roots. Chlorosis can show an a few leaves, an individual branch, half of the crown, or the entire tree. Leaves are actually one of the best resources around for gardeners. Like maple leaves, sycamore leaves are divided into three to five shallow lobes. Is a sweet gun not an oxymoron? Look overhead for spiky dangling spherical fruits. /* Btw, 9 years ago when the question was originally asked Chueh didn't appear to feel fun was being made by 'plant nerds'. Much like with the black walnut, leave buckeye leaves out of a compost pile. When you cut into the trunk, you see the wood is light, fine-textured, and uniform. This is due in part to the oak leaves higher levels of lignin. Illustration uses linear gradients. myimages[6]="../../../images/top-banner/EZ-junior.jpg" Manna Gum Tree, the bark peels off in strips. Often crowded toward the tips of branches. Are they the same family? Grows in a pyramidal shape, becoming more oval or rounded with age. The auto-rotation characteristic of samaras' fall has stimulated many children and occasional adults to explore its adaptation to aviation. Opposite being that you would end up with several horizontal lines. Maple leaves form opposite of each other while the leaves of the Sweet Gum form alternately as shown in the botanical image below. myimages[2]="../../../images/top-banner/BladesFreeShip.jpg" //-->,