Common Name: Sweet Gum
Scientific Name: Liquidambar styraciflua
Location: McKinney Center
Identifying Features
A mature Sweet Gum can grow up to 100 feet tall. The leaves are star-shaped with 5-7 serrated margins. The dark green leaves turn various shades of yellow, red, and purple in Autumn. The fruit is a spiky ball (dry fruit with multiple capsules) that is produced around September and hangs from the tree through the winter. These fruits are commonly known as gumballs. Some branches of this tree may have corky ridges that form after their second year of growth.
Distribution/Geography
This tree is found in fertile soils and is hardy throughout the winter. Sweet Gum trees are mostly distributed through Eastern United States.
Uses
The thick sap can be substituted for chewing gum and medicines. The wood is used in interior surfaces such as flooring, cabinets, and furniture.
History
The gumballs have been used as ornaments.
Tree fact
The town of St. James is called the “sweetgum capital of Missouri”.