Plants: Liquidambar styraciflua 'Aurea' - sweetgum

Sweetgums are very popular trees from the USA. Thanks to the 5-lobed leaves they are often mistaken for maples. However, leaves of sweetgum are more star-shaped and usually smaller. The most spectacular show begins in autumn when they turn all sorts of vivid colours. They fall down late, throughout winter and the tree is decorated with fruits, which are small, spiny spheres.

Aurea is a variety with varigated leaves showing irregular splashes of yellow. They turn pink and purple in autumn.

In gardens with limited space for roots it seldom grows taller than 10m, however, in parks and in southern countries you may encounter much taller and obviously very old specimens reaching over 20m. It likes any fertile to mid-fertile soil, preferably acidic and moist. Fully hardy to -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Size/type: medium-sized tree
Usual height: 8-15m
Usual width:
Leaves: deciduous broadleaf
Colour of leaves: varigated - light green, yellow
Flowers: insignificant or non-blooming
Location: full sun
Usda zone (lowest): 5 (down to -29°c)
Belongs to categories: deciduous broadleaf