When it comes to the best of the best, maple leaves are certainly at the top of the list. Rainbow Gum Tree, spectacular rainbow colored trunk. If you have fruit in-hand, telling them apart is a breeze. Liquidambars are well known for developing a lot of surface roots. Unfortunately, these leaves are also hard to shred! Want more information on trees and gardening? Lobes on many varieties are, however, smaller than the . Like maple leaves, they also have low levels of lignin. random_imglink2() For this reason, the tree is also known as the tulip tree. The leaves of a sweetgum tree have five points and are shaped like a star. The edges of the leaf are jagged and the veins are prominent. 12 April 2007. Young trees are pyramidal; older trees more oval. Mature leaves are 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 cm.) Grows 60'-70', with a 45' spread. 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. Sweetgum. myimages2[3]="../../../images/top-banner/behindtheforum.jpg" 1. Sweet gum tree is a tall, majestic tree that's difficult to beat for symmetrical beauty in a landscape setting. Some ppl are upset with the spikey sweetgum balls but the trees get very big and majestic and imho are well worth the spikers which can be picked up (gloves) or raked. on Sawmills and Milling, Started by texbob One way to be sure is to check the leaf arrangement on the branches. Ta Dahere I come, cape flying, in defense of my wonderful, adored liquidambars. Photo: Alvin Huang / Moment / Getty Images. This leaf shape resembles a star. Sweetgum leaves are palmate, or flat and hand-shaped, with five or sometimes seven pointed lobes with serrated edges. Tree size: This slow-growing tree attains a height of 30 to 50 feet and a width of 20 to 30 feet. Mo, Th, Fr, Sa: 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Alternate being that if you were to play connect the dots from where the leaf comes off the stem along the length of the stem, you would end up with a zigzag pattern. The auto-rotation characteristic of samaras' fall has stimulated many children and occasional adults to explore its adaptation to aviation. Cat; 2007 Wood-Mizer EG200 Twin Blade Edger; Woodmaster 718 Molder/Planer; Stihl MS460 and MS362 Chainsaws; 2011 John Deere 5065 with JD 553 Loader. Sweet-gum (205-61*3) is in the Tree Evaluation Plot. Are a Sycamore & a Cottonwood the Same Tree. function random_imglink2(){ Description : Sweet gum is a large tree with a long, cylindrical trunk, pyramidal crown, and corky wings on branches and twigs. 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. Needs plenty of space for root development. 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. People also collect the spiny fruit clusters when they are dry and brown, often coating them with spray paint to create a variety of crafts. The alternate leaves are maple-like or star-shaped. Sweetgum fruit is a round, spikey and woody ball of capsules that is about one to one-and-a-half inches in diameter. While birds love the fruit of mulberry treesa phenomenon that will also cause unwanted messes in your yardwe must admit that we do not. 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. Known as one of the largest caterpillars in North America it can grow to the size of a hotdog. Chang's sweetgum leaves look like maple tree leaves and measure between 3" and 6" (7.5 - 15 cm) across. Often, newly planted trees will scarcely grow at all for the first two or three years. A very interesting article, lucky_p and one certainly worth reading. Try: Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security. When composting the varieties below, try to keep your piles make-up at no more than 10 to 15% of these types of leaves: With their thick, shiny outer layer, oak leaves are extremely slow in decomposing. The brownish-grey bark is deeply furrowed with narrow scaly ridges. "Liquidambar Styraciflua L." Southern Research Station, U.S. Forest Service. Do sweetgum do the same? It is often used in landscaping and in the production of honey. Stems often have corky and attractive wings during the second year. Blue Gum Tree, common eucalyptus tree. Sweet gum tree leaves have five to seven pointed lobes, and their shape will remind you of a star. The American sweetgum with its star-shaped leaves, neatly compact crown, interesting fruit, and twigs with unique corky growths called wings is an attractive shade tree. imagelinks2[2]="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheForestryForum?sub_confirmation=1" Unlike sweetgum fruit, red maple fruit does not persist. The more lignin that is present, the harder it is to break down the material. The resin rapidly seals over bark wounds and dries to form a protective layer. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, The Difference Between Mimosa and Acacia Trees. myimages[5]="../../../images/top-banner/cookie-mizer.jpg" Sweet-gum (288-47*10) is in the East Illinois 53. Leaves: The sweetgum typically has large leaves with five pointed lobes and the edges of the leaves are toothed. */ How does one tell them apart? Both trees have strong branches that are perfect for building houses and ships. In the fall, their leaves turn brilliant shades of yellow and red. imagelinks[2]="https://woodmizer.com/us/Sawmill-Blades?utm_source=forestryforum.com&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=sawmillblades&utm_term=2022-05-01&utm_content=800x160" Sweetgums love water. 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. Add them in moderation to piles, always being sure to shred them as finely as possible to speed decomposition. The straight trunk of a sweet gum tree is characterized by gray-brown bark that has narrow, deep ridges. var imagelinks2=new Array() PubMed Central. Pro: The wood has many uses, including flooring, lumber, and paper pulp among other things. American sweetgum seeds are eaten by eastern goldfinches, purple finches, sparrows, mourning doves, northern bobwhites and wild turkeys. Sometimes we call these winged samaras. 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. 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. Oils from sweetgum trees have shown potential as a natural pesticide against the pine wood nematodeBursaphelenchus xylophilus, as well as an insecticide for Aedes aegypti, mosquitos known to transmit dengue fever. As lignin decomposes, it actually consumes nitrogen to help the process. Liquidambar styraciflua. You can also note that the underside of red maple leaves are much lighter in color, almost white, compared to the underside of sweetgum leaves. Other trees with maple-like leavesthe sycamore, sweetgum, and yellow-poplarhave leaves that are alternate in arrangement. The North American sweetgum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua, is a member of the witch-hazel, or Hamamelieaceae, family. 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. Sycamore, yellow-poplar, and sweet gum trees share a similar broadleaf structure. Vector illustration of five colorful autumn leaves: Pin Oak, Japanese Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Laceleaf Japanese Maple and American Sweetgum (Redgum). Alice Slusher Replied September 07, 2015, 12:59 PM EDT. One final note on composting the good leaves. They are classified in separate families; maples are currently placed in the family Sapindaceae (formerly in their own family Aceraceae), while sweetgums are currently placed in the family Altingiaceae (formerly in the family Hamamelidaceae). Ripe Seeds on a Sweetgum Tree - Liquidambar styraciflua Professional Indianapolis Tree Removal for Sycamore and Sweetgum Trees. Maples have samoras, flat wingshaped seeds that many people call "helicopter" seeds, cause of the way they drop thru the air. 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! . Friday: 10 a.m. 5 p.m. 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. Grows 60'-70', with a 45' spread. How To Overwinter Mums The Simple Secrets To Saving Hardy Mums! Its shape is pyramidal, becoming more rounded with age. The fruit of sweetgum looks nothing like the fruit of red maple. Here in So. The conspicuous one not mentioned yet, is that maples have their leaves in opposite pairs, whereas sweetgums have leaves alternately ('zig-zag') along the stems. CREATIVE. } To distinguish them, look at the teeth on the leaf edges. Ginkgo. ' North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Each leaf is on its own layer and is easily separated from the other leaves and from the white background and shadows. Maple leaves resemble sweetgum leaves and each other in their palmate shape. Grows in a pyramidal shape, becoming more oval or rounded with age. Most of the Red Maple leaves are a light or a pale green to a whitish. The brown spiky balls can persist on the tree through the Winter, and they are particularly beautiful with a light dusting of snow. With their thin walls, fruit tree leaves also break down extremely fast. Rarely reaches 100 feet in the wild. The bark is grayish brown and deeply furrowed. The first historical reference to the tree comes from the author and soldier, Don Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who accompanied Cortez in 1519 and was a witness to ceremonies between Cortez and Montezuma, who both partook of a liquid amber extracted from a sweetgum tree. Red maple leaves are more toothed, while the lobes on sugar maples have smoother edges. We offer a wide range of residential and commercial tree services for all tree species . Flower and fruit: Flowers are small and insignificant. The same sweetgum Liquidambar styrachiflua can be found throughout the eastern half of the U.S., growing from southern Connecticut and Illinois in the north down through the Deep South states as far west as Texas. This iconic tree is easy to identify, in large part because of its distinctive leaves and notable fruit. Without getting overly technical, lignin is an organic polymer that helps to form cell walls in wood, bark and leaves. Mine can take endless standing water. Some of the samples I collected to examine look exactly like illustrations of these two Maples. I looked at dozens of descriptions, pictures and measurements before learning that Sweetgum has a distinct smell. Leaves turn yellow-purple-red in the fall, and stay on the tree quite late. Though most abundant east of the Mississippi River and especially in the southern U.S., the sweetgum tree is one of the most common tree species in the eastern United States and has spread in small groups south to Central American countries including Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Vector illustration. Mature trees often have corky bark that protrudes from the smaller branches and twigs giving them a winged appearance. Trees of Pennsylvania and the Northeast by Charles Fergus covers over fifty trees found in our region. The easiest way to tell the difference, however young the tree and even in winter with no leaves, is the leaf arrangement. That single detail is definitive. The remaining trees were subsequently placed between the wall of names and the western overlook. Young trees up to 4-8 inches with a smooth light gray bark, developing into gray or black ridges and ultimately narrow scaly plates. No; with over 100 species of maple, there's a huge range in growth rates from very slow to quite fast. The common name Sweet Gum comes from the sweet tasting and gummy consistency of its resin. On the other hand, maple trees produce food for other animals but dont produce much edible material themselves. Sweetgum trees are found in parts of Asia and in the Americas. Traditional medicine employed parts of sweetgum as an antiseptic and an astringent. Once it has found a suitable location, it burrows into the soil to pupate through the Winter. Examine the leaves of the tree. Often crowded toward the tips of branches. A single family member has a consistency in leaf shape that a group of relatives does not. But maple leaves also have another big advantage for compost piles in that they are extremely low in lignin. low angle view of maple leaves on tree - sweet gum leaf stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. The sweetgum produces greenish flowers covered with fine hairs, and its fruit resembles small "sticker balls" or "burr balls," which are eaten by birds and chipmunks. Because lignin levels are crucial when it comes to how fast your compost pile will break down. Have you wondered why a tree would produce sticky or gummy resin? It has moderate drought tolerance. The sap from a maple tree is sticky and can be used to make ink; it also has a strong sugar content. Maples are among the most shade-tolerant deciduous trees and thrive in areas with cooler temperate climates such as Canada and the northern United States. The tree is particularly choice when it changes color in fall. Planted October Glory red maples in creeklets, doing very well. The bark is grayish brown and deeply furrowed. by Lara Milligan The larva of the Regal Moth, known as the Hickory Horned Devil can be found dining upon the leaves of the Sweet Gum. Maple is in the family Aceraceae while sweet gum in in the family Altingiaceae. They range in color from green to yellow to deep red. In the late Summer it leaves the tree and wanders on the ground. Here's an illustration of opposite vs alternate leaf arrangement. Mississippi State University Extension Service. 4 The star-like leaf has five or seven lobes or points and turns from green in summer to . Red maples have opposite leave arrangement. This leaf is borne on corky-winged limbs, and the fruit is a conspicuous spiked ball that grows in clusters. The fruit of sweetgum looks nothing like the fruit of red maple. Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. Sweetgum fruit is a round, spikey and woody ball of capsules that is about one to one-and-a-half inches in diameter. Although the tree is named sycamore, this tree species is in the genus Acer which means it is one of the types of maple trees. The Liquidambar genus gets its nickname from the sap the trees produce; the brown resin can be hardened to make gum. Black walnut trees excrete a toxin known as juglone. Considered a pioneer species, the sweetgum tree can grow beyond 100 feet and is often found in the aftermath of a clearcut. What trees have leaves that look like maple leaves? Leaves with iron chlorosis will develop a yellow color with a network of dark green veins. 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. Their leaves are also soft to the touch and have a distinctive smell. Sweet gum leaves turn a mix of red, orange and yellow, often on the same tree. The leaves turn red, yellow, pink and purple in the fall before changing back to green in the spring. Illustration uses linear gradients. Once the female flower has been wind pollinated, it forms a green spiky cluster which is an aggregate of fruit. The bark is gray-brown with irregular furrows and rough, rounded ridges. Black Tupelo. Below, you will learn about more of the incredible products that have a base in gum tree material, as well as how and why these products . Several varieties, including the black maple and the canyon maple, Acer grandidentatum, contain sweet sap that can be converted to sugar or syrup, in addition to the sap of the well-known Acer saccharum, or sugar maple. I've read that both maples and sweetgums can develop extensive roots through decades. var ry=Math.floor(Math.random()*myimages2.length) Maple leaves form opposite of each other while the leaves of the Sweet Gum form alternately as shown in the botanical image below. Although they can be composted, they should be used in moderation. Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) Index of Species Information. . Both sweet gum and maple have colorful leaves in spring. Lobes on many varieties are, however, smaller than the center of the leaf and range from very to only slightly pointy. Her work focuses on wildlife, water, and general environmental education. In severe chlorosis even the veins may turn yellow or the leaf may even turn white. The leaf will have a saw-tooth or serrated edge. wide. What are the differences between maple trees and sweetgums? "Liquidambar Styraciflua." However, when mature, those lobes extend beyond four inches in size. The female flower head droops downward from a two-inch long light green peduncle, or stem. 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). random_imglink() Thanks. Female sweetgum flowers have a rounded head and droop on a curved stalk. It produces small, insignificant green flowers in spring, these may be followed by burr-like fruits. Members of this small family also include a variety of sweetgum growing in eastern Mexico and Liquidambar orientalis, which is native to Central Asia. Used as an ornamental shade tree, sweetgums offer a hardy option to homeowners, but do shed gumballs that can be a trip hazard. Although the leaves have a similar shape to some maple leaves, a quick check of the leaf growth pattern can confirm the trees identity. 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. Fall color can be quite dramatic, with a combination of yellows, reds, and . Look for the star-shaped leaf as foliage grows in the spring, and note the dried seed balls under the tree. The colors can range from bright orange to deep purple. The leaves of all fruit trees are another great choice for composting. Both grow to heights between 60 and 100 feet, providing summer shade, attractively ridged gray bark, autumn color and fruit-capsules that bring entertainment to children. Lingbeck, Jody M., et al. Other trees with "maple-like" leavesthe sycamore, sweetgum, and yellow-poplarhave leaves that are alternate in arrangement. There are some leaves that should never be composted and never used around plants. The best way to identify maple trees is by their leaves, bark, and fruit. 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. They grow best in temperate climates with distinct seasons. on Tree, Plant and Wood I.D. Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. Much like with the black walnut, leave buckeye leaves out of a compost pile. Red Flowering Gum Tree, named for its scarlet red . The outer edges also may scorch and turn brown as the cells die. The real difference is that the Red Maple has lighter and smoother bark then the Sugar Maple. In addition to the sticks, twigs, broken branches, and leaves that shower down almost every day, it also blankets the yard around it in early summer with cottony seedshence, the name "cottonwood." This autumn foliage has tinier and feather-like leaves, unlike the leaves of maple or sweet gum trees. 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. How do I perform a reduction cut on the trunk where branches are thin? //specify corresponding links below Red maple leaves are green on the top and a light greenish white on the underside, and turn brilliant red in autumn. En cliquant sur Accepter , j'accepte l'utilisation des cookies telle qu'elle est dcrite plus en dtail dans la Politique d'Utilisation des Cookies de Houzz. Instead, their seeds can be used for cooking or manufacturing sugar. myimages[6]="../../../images/top-banner/EZ-junior.jpg" They offer a great variety of form, size, and foliage; many display striking autumn colour. The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization. The straight trunk of a sweet gum tree is characterized by gray-brown bark that has narrow, deep ridges. Bark is brown to gray, very rough with . Female oak flowers are relatively small and . Thursday: 10 a.m. 5 p.m. 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. There are some varieties of trees leaves that can still be composted, but should be used only in moderation. It has become a prized specimen in parks, campuses, and large yards across the country. If leaf arrangement isnt your thing, check out the leaf margins, or edges of the leaf. When you cut into the trunk, you see the wood is light, fine-textured, and uniform. Random Image Link Script- By JavaScript Kit(http://www.javascriptkit.com) Their fall color lasts much longer than most other trees. They are also, of course, used for their syrup, especially in North America where the maple leaf appears on the Canadian flag. 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. In some cases, it is because the leaves fall more on the acidic side and can upset the final PH makeup of a compost pile. The sweet gum flowers bloom from March to May. The leaves of a sweetgum tree are dark green. Always shred leaves before adding to a compost pile. 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. Unfortunately, not all leaves have the same value to a compost pile. Why is a low lignin level important? Back again.making multi-colored sawdust. They have corky bark and grow slowly and are fantastically beautiful in Autumn.