The thin skins of maple leaves also shred easily and break down quickly in a compost pile. Their leaves are also soft to the touch and have a distinctive smell. . myimages2[2]="../../../images/top-banner/behindtheforum.jpg" Sweet-gum (205-61*3) is in the Tree Evaluation Plot. The sweet gum resembles a maple tree, and in the summer, the star-shaped leaves and sturdy trunk are impressive, if easily overlooked. Maple is in the family Aceraceae while sweet gum in in the family Altingiaceae. Other trees with "maple-like" leavesthe sycamore, sweetgum, and yellow-poplarhave leaves that are alternate in arrangement. Moraine sweet-gum (Liquidambar styraciflua 'Moriane'): . It is native to the southeastern US. The bark is dark gray and flaky when young, but it becomes furrowed with age, resembling alligator hide on very . Maples are one of the few trees that have OPPOSITE leaf arrangement. 111. Although they can be composted, they should be used in moderation. PubMed Central. myimages[1]="../../../images/top-banner/ez50-banner.jpg" random_imglink2() They have corky bark and grow slowly and are fantastically beautiful in Autumn. You could . Sweet gum is a large tree with a long, cylindrical trunk, pyramidal crown, and corky wings on branches and twigs. The tiny seeds of the Sweet Gum are eaten by many species of birds, including goldfinch, purple finch, sparrows, mourning doves, squirrels, and chipmunks. The tree is not toxic to dogs and cats, but the seedpods do present a different type of health threat if your pet were to step on one. The American sweetgum with its star-shaped leaves, neatly compact crown, interesting fruit, and twigs with unique corky growths called wings is an attractive shade tree. Leaf Shape: Slender with a pointed tip. There is actually an acronym to help you narrow it down significantly: MAD, which stands for Maple, Ash, Dogwood. The best way to identify maple trees is by their leaves, bark, and fruit. Have you wondered why a tree would produce sticky or gummy resin? Silver Maple ( Acer saccharinum) A maple with deeply-lobed leaves, named for the silvery color of the backside of its leaves. Sweetgum is second only to oak in production of wood for furniture, cabinetwork and veneers. Planted October Glory red maples in creeklets, doing very well. That single detail is definitive. Although in the wild it's often found in damp soil, it adapts to a range of soils . Our Sweet Gum tree is located on the edge of Bayne Park along North Balph Avenue near the flagpole. Description : Sweet gum is a large tree with a long, cylindrical trunk, pyramidal crown, and corky wings on branches and twigs. Sweetgum leaves are star-shaped with five (sometimes seven) long, pointed lobes whose veins connect to a notched base. View Map. The American sweetgum grows to a height of 6075' and a spread of 4050' at maturity. The easiest way to tell the difference, however young the tree and even in winter with no leaves, is the leaf arrangement. The brown spiky balls can persist on the tree through the Winter, and they are particularly beautiful with a light dusting of snow. My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor. The others are found only in Asia. It is okay to add a small portion of beech leaves to a compost pile, but they should never make up more than 10% of the total makeup. The outer edges also may scorch and turn brown as the cells die. Electric and gas shredders are great options but a push or lawn mower can shred them incredibly well too. myimages[2]="../../../images/top-banner/BladesFreeShip.jpg" 412-766-7447 The sweetgum from which its name derives is a layer of resin under the bark, which gives the tree its distinctive but non-perfumy fragrance. In Autumn, the leaves generally turn a reddish-purple or orange color. The edges of the leaf are jagged and the veins are prominent. They grow best in temperate climates with distinct seasons. St. John's Wort (can cause sun sensitivity in light skinned goats) Strawberry. The Most Common North American Hardwood Trees, How to Identify 8 Common North American Fir Trees, Identify a Tree Using Leaf Shape, Margin, and Venation, Using a Tree Twig for Tree Identification: Anatomy of a Twig, Ten Most Common Trees in the United States, Identifying Trees With Pinnately Compound Leaves, The Ultimate Guide to Simple and Compound Tree Leaves, 10 Fast-Growing Shade Trees to Slash your Electric Bill. //specify random images below. Many people recognize sweet gum as a distinct type of tree. Sycamores include a variety of tree species, ranging from the Old World sycamore (Platanus orientalis) to the American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) to the California sycamore (Platanus racemosa). She's down to 6 now but absolutely nothing else can be planted in this tiny garden due to the extensive and very visible root system of these trees, not even annuals. Because lignin levels are crucial when it comes to how fast your compost pile will break down. The Kentucky champion tree is in Henderson County and is over 70 feet tall. Sweet Gum trees present a long-lasting kaleidoscopic display in the Autumn with spectacularly brilliant colors ranging from red to purple to yellow. For those who are starting to learn about tree identification, books that focus on the trees you are most likely to see in the environment around you are the most effective. Use as a campus or park tree, shade or large lawn tree. 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Leaves: The leaves of the Red Maple are very roughly toothed with 3-5 shallow lobes. Cupaniopsis fovealata is an australian rainforest tree in Sapindaceae. Examine the leaves of the tree. Black maples form a large, rounded crown, making it an exceptional shade tree. Although the tree is named sycamore, this tree species is in the genus Acer which means it is one of the types of maple trees. ry=1 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is due in part to the oak leaves higher levels of lignin. Sweetgum trees stand between the Art building and MacKenzie Hall. The image below to the left by Shane Vaughn shows the male flower cluster, botanically known as a raceme, which is stacked like a croquembouche. Otherwise, these close cousins are similar except for leaf shape. They range in color from green to yellow to deep red. Random Image Link Script- By JavaScript Kit(http://www.javascriptkit.com) The deciduous leaves are maplelike in outline, with five pointed . Todays comparison focuses on how to tell apart red maple (Acer rubrum) from sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). How To Overwinter Mums The Simple Secrets To Saving Hardy Mums! In North America, their range extends from Ontario to Florida. Vector illustration of five colorful autumn leaves: Pin Oak, Japanese Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Laceleaf Japanese Maple and American Sweetgum (Redgum). The brownish-grey bark is deeply furrowed with narrow scaly ridges. Look for the star-shaped leaf as foliage grows in the spring, and note the dried seed balls under the tree. all have smaller leaves and winged fruits; American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) has larger leaves with shallow lobes and unique peeling bark. The real difference is that the Red Maple has lighter and smoother bark then the Sugar Maple. Find Sweet Gum Leaf stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. American sweetgum trees, or Liquidambar styraciflua, are sometimes called redgum largely because of the distinct color of this older heartwood and its star-shaped leaves in the fall. The trident maple's leaves turn yellow, orange or reddish in the fall. The leaf margin of red maples are coarsely toothed to entire (smooth) while the margins of sweetgum are finely toothed. If you saw the seed as helicopters, it does look like a Maple. While birds love the fruit of mulberry treesa phenomenon that will also cause unwanted messes in your yardwe must admit that we do not. Turns out, mother nature gave us a fairly effective way of identifying plants. var ry=Math.floor(Math.random()*myimages.length) This iconic tree is easy to identify, in large part because of its distinctive leaves and notable fruit. Oils from sweetgum trees have shown potential as a natural pesticide against the pine wood nematodeBursaphelenchus xylophilus, as well as an insecticide for Aedes aegypti, mosquitos known to transmit dengue fever. Vector illustration. Small mammals such as chipmunks, red squirrels and gray squirrels also enjoy the fruits and seeds. Especially when you consider they are completely free for the taking. "Liquidambar Styraciflua 'Rotundiloba. Learn how different trees grow through the seasons, obtain tips on tree identification, and gain an understanding of how vital trees are to the environment. I believe the trees in the Sweet Gum Woods are the Liquidambar formosana, or the Chinese sweet gum. Have one Morraine with smooth trunk and a little faster growing, not as crinkled and gnarly and interesting as the others, but very pretty summer leaves. Sweetgum seed delivery involves 1-to-1 1/4-inch-sized balls containing many individual fruits, ending in sharp-pronged points and each containing one or two long-winged seeds. Deep, glossy green star-shaped leaves mark the Sweetgum. This "trimmed" top helps distinguish the leaves from those of maples and sycamores. But RynSmith is right. Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) Index of Species Information. Bark matures to medium gray and resembles . //specify corresponding links below Maple Leaves. Lara Milligan is the Natural Resources Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County. What about their roots? A single family member has a consistency in leaf shape that a group of relatives does not. imagelinks2[2]="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheForestryForum?sub_confirmation=1" Sweetgum tree bark looks light gray with vertical fissured ridges. Started by livemusic Here in So. The leaves have a similar shape, and the fall foliage color, well, that's bright and festive, just like a maple. Over 200+ free JavaScripts here! Avoid polluted sites. They are typically grown as ornamental trees, and sycamore wood is used to make furniture, boxes, and crates. Leaves of the mountain maple, Acer spicatum, on the other hand, have shallow lobes, more discernible in leaf veins rather than leaf shape. 12 April 2007. For mature trees, look for the fruits. Latin Name Acer then something or other. A very interesting article, lucky_p and one certainly worth reading. The tree has alternate, palmately lobed leaves with toothed margins that mature into a star shape. They are classified in separate families; maples are currently placed in the family Sapindaceae (formerly in their own family Aceraceae), while sweetgums are currently placed in the family Altingiaceae (formerly in the family Hamamelidaceae). Except for the difference in their seeds that noki pointed out they do appear to have some similarities thanks to a similar leaf shape and excellent fall color. Sweet Gums grow quite tall- 75 ft. Add them in moderation to piles, always being sure to shred them as finely as possible to speed decomposition. In addition, oak leaves fall on the acidic side of the spectrum. The leaves flutter easily in the slightest of breezes and form a rounded canopy. They are wonderful for helping cover and protect plants from the constant freezing and thawing winter can bring. "The american sweetgum we generally see is "Liquidambar Styraciflua" to scientists. Though humans enjoy the sweets produced by sweet gum trees, other creatures dont eat its seeds or leaves. Native to North America; common in floodplains and along rivers. Its weak wood is prone to breaking during severe weather, and the female trees also drop messy seeds. We publish two articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Both grow to heights between 60 and 100 feet, providing summer shade, attractively ridged gray bark, autumn color and fruit-capsules that bring entertainment to children. It is recognizable by the combination of its five-pointed star-shaped leaves and its hard, spiked fruits. Unfortunately, not all leaves have the same value to a compost pile. All of these are well balanced in their nutrients. When you take any plant identification class you will learn about the concept of leaf arrangement, the way leaves are situated on the plant. Autumn is here, and that means there will soon be leaves littering the ground. myimages[6]="../../../images/top-banner/EZ-junior.jpg" Species of sweetgum trees are found around the world, from North America (Liquidambar styraciflua) to China (Liquidambar acalycina) to Greece and Turkey (Liquidambar orientalis). Alternate being that if you were to play connect the dots from where the leaf comes off the stem along the length of the stem, you would end up with a zigzag pattern. Sweetgum fruit is a round, spikey and woody ball of capsules that is about one to one-and-a-half inches in diameter. Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for experienced tree removal service in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. Started by Gumpisan In case youve missed it, Ive been blogging about commonly confused tree species (and, wellcommonly confuses species in general). Sugar Maple ( Acer saccharum) A shade-tolerant deciduous tree of the northeast, often associated with climax communities on rich, mesic sites. The star-shaped leaves are 3-5 inches long and 3-7 inches wide with 5-7 sharply pointed lobes. This tree: Features star-shaped leaves with 5 lobes (occasionally 7) that are lustrous medium green in color, toothed along the margins and 47 in length. The name sweetgum comes from the Native Americans who would peel back the bark, scrape off the resin, and chew the resin as one would chew gum. Each lobe is less than four inches in size. Maple leaves have higher levels of nitrogen and calcium, which of course, are both perfect for plants, and a compost pile. Even more, lignin has a significant impact to the nitrogen levels in your finished compost, and the soil you will use your compost in. Want more information on trees and gardening? Tree Removal. myimages[5]="../../../images/top-banner/cookie-mizer.jpg" Growing sweet gum tree: Transplant when young -- the sweet gum resents root disturbance when it matures. I've been looking at trees so long, I can just glance at them out the corner of my eye and tell what they are - except nyssas, that is! These leaves are small, and will easily . Maple varieties are far more territorial. var ry=Math.floor(Math.random()*myimages2.length) Sweet-gum (1645-23*1) is in the . Children have chewed the resinous sap like chewing gum. Like maple leaves, sycamore leaves are divided into three to five shallow lobes. The yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is the tallest eastern hardwood tree. You can see that especially well in the picture above. Both sweet gum and maple have colorful leaves in spring. Sweetgum trees are easy to recognize. 1 | Hickory Tree. Japanese maple, whose name includes a description of leaf shape, Acer palmatum, is known for leaves with anywhere from seven to 11 deeply cut and visibly toothed lobes in its leaves. Though most abundant east of the Mississippi River and especially in the southern U.S., the sweetgum tree is one of the most common tree species in the eastern United States and has spread in small groups south to Central American countries including Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Plus, white mulberry trees are known to be messy neighbors, and the species' male trees emit pollen notorious for triggering allergies. Unlike sweetgum fruit, red maple fruit does not persist. } Leaves are alternate, simple, oval-elliptical, and lack teeth. In some cases, this can slow the process of decomposition by twelve to eighteen months. The leaves of a sweetgum tree are dark green. Eucalyptus gum trees are, in general, taller than non-eucalyptus gum trees. On the other hand, maple trees produce food for other animals but dont produce much edible material themselves. Learn more about all the Trees of Bayne Park and explore our Interactive Bayne Park Tree Map to see the locations, photographs, and names of over a dozen different species of trees. Over 200+ free JavaScripts here! Fall color can be quite dramatic, with a combination of yellows, reds, and . The American sweetgum is a large shade tree with an ovular shape. Once the female flower has been wind pollinated, it forms a green spiky cluster which is an aggregate of fruit. From a distance these tree species can easily be mistaken for one another, but on closer inspection there are plenty of ways to tell them apart. Vector illustration of five colorful autumn leaves: Pin Oak, Japanese Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Laceleaf Japanese Maple and American Sweetgum (Redgum). The leaf stalk and twigs also have a reddish color. . if (ry==0) Is a sweetgum tree the same as a maple? liquidambars when she moved in. Sometimes we call these winged samaras. A million members, donors, and partners support our programs to make our world greener and healthier. 1, July 2017, p. 6323. The colors can range from bright orange to deep purple. Generally maples are spreading their roots shallowly. Yellow-poplar leaves are flat and slightly lobed and appear to be trimmed across the top, with two deeper lobes on either side of the midrib (the primary rib or central vein). . If the leaves are opposite each other on the branch, you have a maple. Do sweetgum do the same? It is only in winter, after the tree's greenery has been . Opposite being that you would end up with several horizontal lines. baynelibrary@einetwork.net. It is often used in landscaping and in the production of honey. Sweet Gum trees have a star-shaped leaf with five points. This article may contain affiliate links. Tu, We: 10 a.m. 7 p.m. He/she thanked people for their help. This leaf is borne on corky-winged limbs, and the fruit is a conspicuous spiked ball that grows in clusters. It doesn't take much for a wind storm to blow in a batch from a tree across the highway. Sweetgum leaves are palmate, or flat and hand-shaped, with five or sometimes seven pointed lobes with serrated edges. } Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive sweetgum. Really.I don't denigrate those who would plant them in their own yard, but I will answer questions like the one posed about the prominent above-ground roots without sugar-coating the issue - and I didn't even address the issue of the abominable prickly seed capsules.I will agree that in some areas they do have marvelous fall color - but I rarely see it on the ones that grow here. Search from Sweet Gum Leaf stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. :)Sherry, The original title question . I've found that it's much easier to learn to ID various trees by seeing them in the "flesh" than just by looking at field guides. (Zones 5-9). And now, you can go on with your life knowing that you'll always be able to tell the difference between a baby Maple tree and Sweetgum. I can't think of a messier tree.