Satin-walnut
The
Liquidambar Styraciflua is commonly known as
Alligator-tree,
Blisted,
Copalm Balsam,
Gum-wood,
Opossum-tree,
Redgum,
Sapgum,
Satin-walnut,
Star-leaf Gum,
Sweetgum, as well as
White Gum< Go BackGrowing Regions
Sweetgum grows from Connecticut southward throughout the East to central
Florida and eastern Texas. It is found as far west as Missouri,
Arkansas, and Oklahoma and as far north as southern Illinois. It also
grows in scattered locations in northeastern and central Mexico,
Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua [
14,
24,
42]. It
is cultivated in Hawaii [
50].
General Information
The currently accepted scientific name for sweetgum is Liquidambar
styraciflua L. [
30]. Two forms of sweetgum are recognized in
horticulture. The round-lobed American sweetgum, L. styraciflua forma
rotundiloba Rehd., has three to five short, rounded lobes on the leaves.
Weeping American sweetgum, L. styraciflua forma pendula Rehd., has
pendulous branches forming an almost columnar head [
44,
45]. There are no
recognized subspecies or varieties.
Much of the information presented here is attributed to:
Coladonato, Milo. 1992. Liquidambar styraciflua. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available at USDA Forest Service.
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