Sweetgum as a shade tree

A valuable hardwood, sweetgum also makes a great landscape tree in its southern range here in Southwest Florida.  Also called alligator-wood, star-leaved gum, and gumtree, sweetgum is a deciduous tree with a narrow pyramidal shape and interesting corky projections on the branches.  This Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ native tree can fit into many residential yards.

You do not see too many sweetgums in Charlotte County – perhaps a few in landscapes, but it is uncommon.  We have a few at the East Port Environmental Campus in Port Charlotte which have developed at a moderate growth rate and are now just making an impact in the landscape.  Their star-shaped leaves make for a beautiful foliage display in season and the corky, wing-like twig outgrowths add winter interest. While they could grow upwards to seventy-five feet tall in central and northern Florida, ours specimens are around thirty feet after fourteen years of growth. I have seen a few individual landscape sweetgums upwards to forty-feet tall in our area, but that is the biggest that I have observed.   This is about the southernmost edge of where sweetgum trees occur other than what you  see installed in landscapes.  Another “plan before you plant” alert - keep in mind that sweetgum do have large, aggressive roots which can lift sidewalks and curbs.  As such, plant these trees at least ten feet from curbs in urban areas.  Allow plenty of space for this specimen tree.

Mature trees will produce a round, golf ball-sized prickly fruit which provides numerous seeds for wildlife.  However, this fruit can be a nuisance on roads and walkways and unpleasant to walk on if barefoot – ouch!  Interestingly enough, there is a solution to this problem – a cultivar called ‘Rotondifolia’ does not produce the spiny fruit and has interesting rounded foliage. While sweetgums may be too tall for some residential lots, an  uncommon cultivar called ‘Gumball’ is a good small variety with shrubby, rounded, slow growth barely topping out at fifteen feet tall.   Another cultivar called ‘Variegata’ has interesting variegated foliage –  an additional twist on this old favorite.

Sweet gum trees can provide a pleasing shade and grandeur when properly placed and given time to develop.  For more information on all types of trees suitable for  southwest Florida, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.

Resources:

Gilman, E. F. & Watson, D. G. (2014) Liquidambar styraciflua: Sweetgum.  The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

Christman, S. (2012)  Liquidambar styraciflua.  Floridata.com, Tallahassee, FL.

Sweetgum. 4-H Forest Resources.  UF-SFRC.