Sweet Gum

Liquidambar styraciflua Worplesdon

• Position: sun
• Soil: moist, well-drained, acidic to neutral soil
• Rate of growth: fairly fast-growing
• Flowering period: May
• Hardiness: hardy

  
  A gorgeous tree, with large, star-like, shiny, bright green leaves which turn brilliant purple, then shades of orange and yellow in the autumn. It has a rounded, heavy crown, and although it grows slowly, it is not suitable for a small garden, as it is long-lived and will eventually grow to 25 metres. In Britain, it flowers intermittently and inconspicuously in spring, but it is for the foliage that this tree is prized. Grow it either as a specimen tree in grass, or as the centrepiece to a glade. Trees grown in a rich, damp soil in full sun will colour the best.
  

• Garden care: When planting, incorporate lots of well-rotted manure or garden compost into the planting hole and stake firmly. Requires minimal pruning. Remove any broken, diseased or crossing branches in late autumn or winter.
  

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