{"id":63,"date":"2026-08-20T15:42:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T15:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/?page_id=63"},"modified":"2026-08-24T19:29:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T19:29:44","slug":"american-sweetgum","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/trees\/american-sweetgum\/","title":{"rendered":"American Sweetgum"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Liquidambar styraciflua<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Overview<\/h2>\n<p>The American Sweetgum is a native hardwood tree known for its distinctive star-shaped leaves and brilliant fall color. Throughout autumn, its foliage turns vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple, creating one of the most striking fall displays among eastern North American trees.<\/p>\n<p>Commonly found in bottomland forests and moist soils, Sweetgum has adapted well to urban landscapes and is frequently planted as a shade and ornamental tree. Its strong central trunk and symmetrical canopy make it a striking feature in parks, campuses, and residential areas.<\/p>\n<h2>Identification<\/h2>\n<h3>Leaves<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Glossy, star-shaped leaves with five to seven pointed lobes<\/li>\n<li>Medium to dark green during spring and summer<\/li>\n<li>Brilliant yellow, orange, red, and purple fall color<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Bark<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Gray-brown bark with deep furrows and ridges as the tree matures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Fruit<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Distinctive round, spiky seed balls often called &#8220;gumballs&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Persist on the tree through winter and provide food for wildlife<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Size<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Typically grows 60 to 80 feet tall<\/li>\n<li>Can reach 100 feet or more under ideal conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Native Range<\/h2>\n<p>The American Sweetgum is native to the eastern and southeastern United States and is naturally found throughout much of the Appalachian region. It commonly occurs in bottom-lands, floodplains, moist woodlands, and other sites with abundant soil moisture.<\/p>\n<h2>Ecology and Wildlife Value<\/h2>\n<p>Sweetgum trees provide food and habitat for many species of birds and wildlife. Seeds are eaten by finches, sparrows, squirrels, and other animals, while the tree&#8217;s canopy offers cover and nesting opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>As a large shade tree, it also helps improve air quality, reduces storm water runoff, and contributes to the overall health of urban forests.<\/p>\n<h2>Human Uses<\/h2>\n<p>The fragrant resin produced by the tree was historically used by Indigenous peoples and early settlers for medicinal purposes and was sometimes chewed like gum, inspiring the tree&#8217;s common name.<\/p>\n<p>Sweetgum wood has been used in a variety of products, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Furniture<\/li>\n<li>Cabinetry<\/li>\n<li>Flooring<\/li>\n<li>Veneer<\/li>\n<li>Railroad ties<\/li>\n<li>Pulp and paper products<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>American Sweetgum at Marshall University<\/h2>\n<p>American Sweetgums can be found throughout the Marshall University Arboretum, where they contribute seasonal beauty and ecological value to the campus landscape.<\/p>\n<p>One American Sweetgum on campus holds a particularly remarkable distinction. Marshall University&#8217;s Artemis Moon Tree was grown from a seed that traveled more than 1.4 million miles through space aboard NASA&#8217;s Artemis I mission.<\/p>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/highlights\/artemis-moon-tree\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"button green \">\n\t\t<span>Learn about Marshall's Moon Tree<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n\t\n<h2>Quick Facts<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Common Name:<\/strong> American Sweetgum<br \/>\n<strong>Scientific Name<\/strong>: Liquidambar styraciflua<br \/>\n<strong>Family:<\/strong> Altingiaceae<br \/>\n<strong>Native Region:<\/strong> Appalachia Native<br \/>\n<strong>Mature Height:<\/strong> 60-100+ feet<br \/>\n<strong>Mature Spread:<\/strong> 40-60 feet<br \/>\n<strong>Growth Rate:<\/strong> Moderate to Fast<br \/>\n<strong>Sun Requirements:<\/strong> Full Sun<br \/>\n<strong>Soil Preferences:<\/strong> Moist, well-drained soils; adaptable to a variety of site conditions<br \/>\n<strong>USDA Hardiness Zones:<\/strong> 5-9<br \/>\n<strong>Fruit\/Seed:<\/strong> Round, spiky seed capsules (&#8220;gumballs&#8221;)<br \/>\n<strong>Wildlife Value:<\/strong> Seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals; provides cover and nesting habitat<br \/>\n<strong>Notable Characteristics:<\/strong> Star-shaped leaves, brilliant fall color, and distinctive spiky fruit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Liquidambar styraciflua Overview The American Sweetgum is a native hardwood tree known for its distinctive star-shaped leaves and brilliant fall color. Throughout autumn, its foliage turns vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple, creating one of the most striking fall displays among eastern North American trees. Commonly found in bottomland forests and moist soils,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":224,"featured_media":0,"parent":6,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-narrow.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-63","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/224"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":143,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63\/revisions\/143"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}