10/50/100 AMERICAN SWEETGUM Liquidambar Styraciflua Storax Alligator Sweet Gum Tree Seeds - Great Fall Color! Red Yellow Orange Purple(10 Seeds)
DESCRIPTION:NAME: American SweetgumOTHER COMMON NAMES: Sweet Gum / American Storax / Hazel Pine / Bilsted / Red Gum / White Gum / Satin Walnut / Star-Leaved Gum / Bilsted / Alligatorwood / Alligator TreeSCIENTIFIC NAME: Liquidambar StyracifluaCOLOR: Yellow Green Flowers / Gum Balls turn from Green to Brown / Amazing Fall Leaf Colors of: Yellow, Orange, Red, PurplePLANT SEEDS: Fall / Cold stratify / Indoors weeks before last frost / Outdoors after danger of frostBLOOM TIME: April - MayHARDINESS ZONE: 5 - 9PLANT HEIGHT: 60 - 80' (Up to 120' occasionally)PLANT SPACING: 40 - 60'LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun - Part ShadeSOIL WATER PREFERENCES: Average - MoistQUANTITY:10/50/100 Seeds (northern grown in Ohio)OTHER: This big beauty is indeed native to North America as well as a few areas in Central America. They are a popular shade tree, beloved for their great coloration year-round interest in the landscape. I personally have several in my own yard :)The leaves of the American Sweetgum are a beautiful glossy bright dark green five-pointed star shape with serrated edges. They are large, measuring 3 - 7 wide, are fragrant when bruised. In fall, the leaves turn the most stunning shade of bright yellow, orange, red purple. They really put on an incredible show that will rival any maple you wanna pit them against :)The tree's greenish yellow flowers appear in the spring, become one of the tree's most recognizable features, the 'gumballs'. The hard spiky fruit starts out bright green matures to an auburn - brown color. The spike balls measure 1 - 1 1/2 across, many remain on the tree throughout the winter like ornaments. The spike balls contain the tree's seeds which are a favorite of squirrels, chipmunks, finches, more. The tree's smaller branches also sometimes have corky-ridges (think of a long narrow fin) running along them. The bark of the tree is deeply ridged, earning it its nicknames of Alligator Tree Alligatorwood.The Sweetgum grows well in average soil with average moisture, does exceptionally well in moist clay soils with poor drainage. Believe me, this is not an exaggeration, sadly this perfectly describes my backyard my big old trees are doing great. Lol. The trees also have a moderate salt tolerance.These hardwood trees are grown commercially for their wood that is used to make a wide variety of goods ranging from furniture to flooring to railroad ties chopsticks, being prized for their beautiful light-colored fine-grained wood.Sweetgum's botanical name 'Liquidambar' ( the 'gum' part) comes from the pleasingly fragrant gum resin in the tree's bark that resembles liquid amber. Historically, the gum was used for a variety of purposes including medicinally, to make chewing gum, as a flavoring, in perfumes incense, exported around the globe.The spike balls are very unique, I use them in potpourri as a 'bowl filler' with other cool botanicals. They absorb scents very well add a great texture to the mix. They can also be made into a variety of other crafts from cute little hedgehogs to wreaths. We've painted them, glittered them, you name it. :) They can be a lot of fun.American Sweetgum trees can live for up to 400 years! You aren't just planting a seed, you are planting a legacy that can be enjoyed by many generations of not just humans, but our woodland friends too :)** We have a huge selection of native tree shrub seeds available in our store! Drop by take a look! **
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