But high levels of lignin also cause another issue in that they love to devour nitrogen. Mature leaves are 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 cm.) This tree is often planted in parks where its height, ranging from 70-120 feet, and sprawling branches, spreading 40-50 feet, create shade for visitors. Started by Gumpisan 9, no. The fruit matures in late summer and persists through the fall/winter. With the knowledge that a variety of animals, insects, and birds can all share a single tree as a home, children will look at trees more deeply and with fresh eyes! Over 200+ free JavaScripts here! i don't think many would find it desirable to have those in a lawn or garden setting.chueh is asking for information about existing trees and not wanting to know this to help with a decision for selecting a tree to plant but the link in the above post would provide some study data to consider for doing that. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, The Difference Between Mimosa and Acacia Trees. Sweet Gums grow quite tall- 75 ft . To identify sweet gum trees, look for large star-shaped lobed green leaves that turn spectacular autumn red, yellow, and orange colors. var myimages2=new Array() The major maples have leaves that are divided into three to five lobes. A study of the Chinese sweetgum, Liquidambar formosana, suggests they are also efficient contributors to carbon sink because they retain high photosynthetic activity even as their leaves begin to drop. Sweet Gum Trees. It is native to North America, where it is found along the eastern coast from Connecticut to northern Florida. Summer leaves are a dark green with a high-gloss appearance, but the most spectacular part of this tree is the fall foliage with many shades of yellow, orange, bright red, purple or scarlet that may appear on the same branch. Bark matures to medium gray and resembles . Like the sweetgum and the yellow-poplar, the sycamore has leaves that are alternate in arrangement. Although they can be composted, they should be used in moderation. You could . ;-)his reply addressed the question about surface roots (in an area with similar growing conditions to the one of the poster) and the comments accurately describe the sweetgums at the wooded perimeter of my yard; ripples of large, exposed roots extending out a long way from the trunk. Those are called samaras and they can be a vibrant scarlet color or brown and they come in pairs. Leaves are typically greenish-yellow and sometimes orange. A single family member has a consistency in leaf shape that a group of relatives does not. The Liquidambar genus gets its nickname from the sap the trees produce; the brown resin can be hardened to make gum. The two main categories of leaf arrangement are alternate or opposite. . Sweet Gum . Sunflowers. Much like with the black walnut, leave buckeye leaves out of a compost pile. The alternate leaves are maple-like or star-shaped. Each leaf blade has three lobes, with a broad, triangular lobe in the center. Once commercially popular for soaps, adhesives and pharmaceuticals, today its wood is valuable for fine furniture and interior finishing. var ry=Math.floor(Math.random()*myimages.length) Maple varieties are far more territorial. They are frequently (and inappropriately) planted here in more suburban areas as street trees and in addition to getting their crowns whacked back to avoid power lines, the roots cause frequent upheavals of the sidewalks. The genus portion of its Latin name Liquidambar refers to the resins liquid form and similar appearance to amber, which is fossilized resin. Want more information on trees and gardening? //-->,