Liquidambar styraciflua 'Slender Silhouette'
sweet gum
There are not too many trees that are suitable for small gardens, so we were delighted when this one was introduced from...
12 litre pot | 1.2 - 1.5m tall
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Plant description
There are not too many trees that are suitable for small gardens, so we were delighted when this one was introduced from the USA, where it has won a Gold Medal. It is a cultivar of the American sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua, and as the name suggests it has a tall, slender habit. Like its parent, it produces lustrous, maple-like green leaves, which take on spectacular shades of orange and crimson in the autumn before they fall - especially if they are grown in acidic soils with lots of sun. It will also produce curious, spiky fruits that ripen from green to brown, and hang from the branches like exotic dangly earrings. An easy to grow tree that will reach around 18m tall (it puts on an average of 30-60cm (1-2ft) each year), but will only spread to around 2m wide.
The tree has glossy green maple-like leaves in summer, which turn to rich red, orange and golden shades in the autumn holding on to the tree for some time, with the best red colours produced in acid soils. It has insignificant flowers, but produces golf ball-sized brown spiky fruits. Sweetgums are soil tolerant but prefer deep well-drained soil in a sunny spot and once established can withstand both temporary flooding and drought. This variety won a gold medal in America in 2010 from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
The tree has glossy green maple-like leaves in summer, which turn to rich red, orange and golden shades in the autumn holding on to the tree for some time, with the best red colours produced in acid soils. It has insignificant flowers, but produces golf ball-sized brown spiky fruits. Sweetgums are soil tolerant but prefer deep well-drained soil in a sunny spot and once established can withstand both temporary flooding and drought. This variety won a gold medal in America in 2010 from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Eventual height & spread
Flowering period
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Plant features
Position
Full sun
Rate of growth
Average
Soil
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness
Fully hardy
How to care for Liquidambar styraciflua Slender Silhouette:
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.
Please note:
This tree is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
GOES WELL WITH
November pruning of trees and shrubs
By November the garden is well and truly dormant, so it’s a good time to prune many deciduous garden trees. As for October, prune newly planted trees to remove any damaged growth and help balance the shape of the canopy as well as maintain a dominant main
Read full articleFebruary pruning of trees, shrubs and climbers
The garden is at its most dormant right now, so it’s a good time to catch up on any pruning missed or forgotten since the autumn. If the weather isn’t favourable, you can leave it for a week or two, but make sure all winter pruning is completed before the
Read full article