Liquidambar orientalis
Oriental Sweet Gum
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Liquidambar genus in the family Hamamelidaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Hamamelidaceae
- Genus
- Liquidambar
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Growth rate
- slow
- Height
- 10 m
- Spread
- 4 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- monoecious
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A chewing gum and a stabilizer for cakes etc are obtained from the resin[6]. This resin is also used to flavour baked foods etc[7].
- Product or use
- Gum
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A resin obtained from the wood and inner bark acts both as an irritant and an expectorant within the respiratory tract. It is one of the ingredients of 'Friar's Balsam', an expectorant mixture that is inhaled to stimulate a productive cough[13]. Externally it is applied to the skin to treat a range of diseases[13]. The resin is also mixed with Hamamelis virginiana and Rose water to make an astringent face lotion[13]. The resin is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, expectorant, pectoral, salve and stimulant[14][15][16][5][10][11]. It is taken internally in the treatment of strokes, infantile convulsions, coma, heart disease and pruritis[11]. It is also used in the treatment of cancer[10]. Externally it is mixed with oil and used to treat scabies, wounds, ulcers etc[11][13]. The bark is harvested in the autumn and the resin extracted from the bark[13]. The leaves, fruits and roots are used in similar ways to the resin[11] and are also considered to be antidote, parasiticide and vulnerary[10].
- Product or use
- Antibacterial
- Product or use
- Antidote
- Product or use
- Antiinflammatory
- Product or use
- Parasiticide
- Product or use
- Pectoral
- Product or use
- Salve
- Product or use
- Stimulant
- Product or use
- Vulnerary
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The aromatic resin 'Storax' is obtained from the trunk of this tree[15][17]. 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[4][11]. The resin has a wide range of uses including medicinal, incense, perfumery, soaps etc. It is also used as a parasiticide[14][16]. Liquid storax gives greater permanence to the odours of flowers extracted by maceration[12]. It is also used in the imitation of other scents as an alternative to vanilla, ambergris and benzoin, or to complement them[12]. The aromatic bark is burnt as an incense[12].
- Product or use
- Incense
- Product or use
- Resin
- Product or use
- Wood
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Secondary canopy
Environment
- Range
- W. Asia.
- Habitat
- Flood plains, marshy places and valley sides near streams to elevations of 1800 metres in Turkey[18].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 8+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
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[K]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Suckers in early spring. Layering in October/November. Takes 12 months.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a moist but not swampy loam in a sheltered position[1][9]. Prefers a neutral to acid soil[3]. Grows poorly on shallow soils overlying chalk[8]. Plants can be grown in full sun so long as the soil is not dry hungry and shallow[3]. Young plants are susceptible to damage from late frosts[2][3][9]. Mature plants are fully hardy but prefer a hotter climate if they are to do well[2]. Plants rarely, if ever, flower in Britain[2]. They rarely flower in climatic zones colder than zone 7[9]. An aromatic gum exudes from the trunk. The fragrance is also present to some extent in the leaves, especially if they are bruised[12]. This species resents root disturbance, young plants should be pot-grown and be placed in their permanent positions as soon as possible[9]. A slow growing plant[1].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
? The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society 1982-00-00
Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00
Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber
Davis. P. H. Flora of Turkey. Edinburgh University Press 1965-00-00