American Sweetgum

Seeds: 100  / Botanical name: Liquidamber styraciflua

The colors of Indian Summer - Hardy down to -25° Celsius

The magnificent autumn foliage, lasting for several weeks from September onwards, ranges from orange to carmine red to purple, making the hardy sweetgum tree a highly sought-after garden tree. With its slender crown, it is also well-suited for smaller gardens. The hand-shaped, deeply lobed leaves are reminiscent of maple leaves, and after flowering in May, green, chestnut-like, spherical fruits develop. The initially reddish-brown bark turns grayish-brown with age and develops numerous corky ridges. The tree can be successfully grown in a container, where it reaches a height of up to two meters. When planted in the ground, it can grow to eight to ten meters. The botanical name 'Liquidambar' and the English name 'American Sweetgum' refer to the sap that oozes out when the trunk is scored. In the USA, this sap is used in the production of chewing gum. The wood is primarily used in the timber industry for its dark color, beautiful grain, and spicy fragrance, while the aromatic resin is used in soap and perfume making.

Natural habitat: The natural habitat of the sweetgum tree extends from the northeastern United States (New York State) to Nicaragua. It prefers to grow on moist mountain slopes and in river valleys. Incidentally, it was also native to Europe until the Ice Age.