American Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua · Altingiaceae (Sweetgum family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Star-shaped (palmate) with 5 to 7 sharply pointed lobes
Margin
Serrate (finely toothed)
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Palmate venation, radiating from the base of the petiole with prominent primary veins for each lobe
Key Features
Star-shaped 5-7 lobed leaves with fine teeth, alternate leaf arrangement, corky ridges often found on older twigs, and spiky round fruit clusters
Description
The American Sweetgum is a large, stately deciduous tree known for its distinctively star-shaped leaves, deeply furrowed rough gray bark, and prickly spherical fruit capsules commonly called gumballs. In autumn, the foliage puts on a spectacular colorful display ranging from deep red to purple.
Habitat
Found primarily in low, damp bottomlands, rich river floodplains, and poorly drained soils, though it adapts well to a variety of upland soils in full sun
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, from coastal Connecticut south to central Florida, west to eastern Texas and Missouri, and extending southward into Mexico and Central America