Liquid Amber
Liquidambar styraciflua
Also known as
Redgum, American Storax, Sweetgum, Liquidambar, Satinwood, American sweet gum
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in Mellon Park, Pittsburgh 01 by Cbaile19 (CC0)
Full Sun
Moderate care
Moderate watering
Frost Hardy
7a
USDA zone
-18°C
Minimum temperature
Expected size
Height | Spread | |
---|---|---|
12m | Max | 8m |
5m | Min | 5m |
Flowering
spring
summer
autumn
winter
This plant has a mild fragrance


More images of Liquid Amber
Liquid Amber Overview
A popular deciduous tree grown for their maple-like leaves with a serrated-margin, brilliant and long-lasting autumn colour. Their flowers and fruits are inconspicuous. It is often planted as an attractive border or hedge or to form beautiful avenues. It is a feature plant during autumn in any large garden providing shade in warm summers and allowing sun through bare branches in winter. After an injury to the stem, a red gum-like fluid appears that lead to the common name liquid amber.
Common problems with Liquid Amber
Problem free
How to harvest Liquid Amber
Harvest fruit in Autumn for seeds.
How to propagate Liquid Amber
Seed
Small 2 seeds within each capsule, from a spiked ball. Harvest the fruit in Autumn after they turned from green to dark brown. Allow fruit to dry (5 - 7 days) before planting.
Cuttings
Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings. Keep moist while rooting.
Budding
Propagate by budding in spring or from seed in autumn.
Special features of Liquid Amber
Autumn colour
Orange, red or purple leaves cover the tree before it drops.
Hedge plant
Planted in rows acting as a wind breaker.
Attracts birds
Attractive leaves
Maple-like palmate leaves.
Other uses of Liquid Amber
Foliage, shade, timber. Intense scarlet, purple, and yellow autumn foliage.
Ornamental
Multi Stemmed Trees
With a little formative work these trees can be trained into multi- stemmed specimens.
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