Liquidambar styraciflua
L.
Sweet Gum, Red Gum, American Sweet Gum, Red Sweet Gum
(c) Randy Puckett, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Randy Puckett
(c) Misty Keith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Misty Keith
(c) María Eugenia Mendiola González, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by María Eugenia Mendiola González
What to Eat
A chewing gum and a stabilizer for cakes etc is obtained from the resin. It can also be chewed to sweeten the breath.
Where to Find It
Eastern N. America - Connecticut to Florida, west to Texas and Illinois.
NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Québec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador), United States (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas), Mexico (Tamaulipas). SOUTHERN AMERICA: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador
How to Identify
Liquidambar styraciflua is a deciduous Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
How to Grow
Prefers a moist but not swampy loam in a sunny sheltered position. Succeeds in light shade. Prefers a neutral to acid soil. Plants grow poorly in shallow soils overlying chalk. Young plants are susceptible to damage from late frosts. A highly ornamental plant, especially in its autumn foliage, it grows well in Cornwall and S. England but does not do well in the north. A fast-growing and long lived tree, it is fairly free from pests and diseases and has the potential to be a re-afforestation tree in cutover lands. Trees commence flowering when about 20 - 25 years old. The leaves emit a balsam-like fragrance when they fall in the autumn, this is retained until the leaves are quite withered. Plants in the north of their range do not produce much resin. Resists honey fungus. This species resents root disturbance, young plants should be pot-grown and be placed in their permanent positions as soon as possible. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water.
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Harvest the seed capsules at the end of October or November, dry in a warm place and extract the seed by shaking the capsule. Stored seed requires 1 - 3 months stratification and sometimes takes 2 years to germinate. Sow it as early in the year as possible. Germination rates are often poor. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse for their first winter. Since they resent root disturbance, it is best to plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of their second year and give them some protection from cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Suckers in early spring. Layering in October/November. Takes 12 months.
Medicinal Uses
Antiseptic Astringent Carminative Cholera Diuretic Dysentery Expectorant Parasiticide Poultice Salve Sedative Stimulant VulneraryA resin obtained from the trunk of the tree (see 'Uses notes' below) is antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, parasiticide, poultice, salve, sedative, stimulant, vulnerary[21, 46, 57, 61, 149, 171, 213, 218, 222, 238]. It is chewed in the treatment of sore throats, coughs, asthma, cystitis, dysentery etc. Externally, it is applied to sores, wounds, piles, ringworm, scabies etc. The resin is an ingredient of 'Friar's Balsam', a commercial preparation based on Styrax benzoin that is used to treat colds and skin problems. The mildly astringent inner bark is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and childhood cholera.
Other Uses
Adhesive Gum Incense Parasiticide Resin Teeth Wood. The aromatic resin 'Storax' is obtained from the trunk of this tree. It forms in cavities of the bark and also exudes naturally. It is harvested in autumn. Production can be stimulated by beating the trunk in the spring. The resin has a wide range of uses including medicinal, incense, perfumery, soap and as an adhesive. It is also chewed and used as a tooth cleaner. Wood - heavy, fairly hard, fine-grained, not strong, light, tough, resilient. It weighs about 37lb per cubic foot. The wood takes a high polish and can be stained then used as a cherry, mahogany or walnut substitute. It is also used for furniture, flooring, fruit dishes, veneer etc.
