Sweetgum, Red Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

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Sarahskeeper Brockton, MA(Zone 6a) Nov 03, 2005

Sweetgum, Red Gum
Liquidambar styraciflua

Star shaped leaves have pleasant 'evergreen' aroma when crushed.

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Post #1853942
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TomH3787 Raleigh, NC(Zone 7b) Nov 03, 2005

I think that is just a regular sweetgum. cv 'Rotundiloba' has rounded leaf lobes (as the name suggests). I have never seen a pointed leaf on mine. I'm attaching a picture... it's dark outside and I had to use the flash but I think the leaf form shows up OK.

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Post #1855472
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Sarahskeeper Brockton, MA(Zone 6a) Nov 03, 2005

Tom, You may be right. When I was looking at sweetgums I didn't see the other one. There were no close-ups of the leaves on this one so I couldn't tell.
How do we fix this?
There is another pic of these, not yet accepted.
Andy P

Post #1855500
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TomH3787 Raleigh, NC(Zone 7b) Nov 04, 2005

Andy P - Go to the PF entry: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/55585/index.html and click the "Report an Error" button at the upper right corner. Just ask for your picture to be moved to the entry for "regular" sweetgum http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1033/index.html. You can also ask for my picture to be added to the 'Rotundiloba' entry - not that it's a great picture but it does show the foliage. I am pretty sure my tree is accurately identified because it was tagged as 'Rotundiloba' when I purchased it several years ago (I did not want lots of sweetgum balls in my yard!) and it matches the description.

Post #1855738
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Sarahskeeper Brockton, MA(Zone 6a) Nov 04, 2005

Thanks, I will do that after a little more checking.
My 2 trees have very few spiny balls, nothing like what is shown it the pics. I thought I had 2 males, is that possible?
I want to be accurate.
Here is a pic of my 2 trees. can you tell from this view?
There are very few sweetgums this far north.
Andy P

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Post #1855768
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TomH3787 Raleigh, NC(Zone 7b) Nov 04, 2005

The 'Rotundiloba' sweetgum has a more narrow form than the typical species - yours has a wider, spreading habit. Sweetgums are monoecious - they do have separate "male" and "female" flowers but both are on the same plant. Maybe yours are just relatively infertile - and that's a good thing! A mature tree of the normal variety will produce thousands of those spiny balls every year. Actually, my 'Rotundiloba' does get a few (maybe 2 or 3) sweetgum balls a year - so I suspect there is no such thing as a completely sterile sweetgum.

Post #1855829
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Baa Nov 05, 2005

TomH

I'm sorry but we can't put your photo on an entry for you other than in the normal way, which would mean if I did it, then I'd be credited for the submission, please feel free to add your photo to the entry, credit where credit is due! :)

Post #1859160
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