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Liquidambar styraciflua - (image 1 of 9)

Taxonomy

Family: Hamamelidaceae

Habitat

 Moist, slightly acid soil

Associates

Distribution

Native to the southeastern US, north into CT and southern NY.

Morphology

Large deciduous tree to 100', with a conical crown. Leaves alternate, simple, star-shaped, maple-like, 4-6" long; 5 -7 lobes, narrow, pointed, finely toothed, palmate veined; petiole nearly long as the blade. Terminal bud conical, pointed, red-brown. Twigs corky ridged. Flowers monoecious; female on a slender stalk. Fruits a globular, dropping aggregate; each ovary with 2 woody horn-like projections; persist into winter. Seed winged. Bark gray and deeply furrowed with scaly ridges.

Notes

Flowers April to May.

Wetland indicator: Facultative, facultative wetland

A beautiful tree, particularly the fall color which can range from yellow-orange to red-purple. The spiky fruits limit it's popularity in most landscapes. The common name refers to the sweetish sap, which is gummy when dry and can be chewed like gum. 

Bibliography

Dirr, Michael A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants:
Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.
5th ed. Champaign, Illinois: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.

Farrar, J. L. 1995. Trees of the Northern United States and Canada.
Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press

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