Practical
Plants

Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweet Gum

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Liquidambar genus in the family Hamamelidaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
25 m
Spread
15 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 is obtained from the resin[2][3][6][7]. It can also be chewed to sweeten the breath[10].

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 trunk of the tree (see 'Uses notes' below) is antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, parasiticide, poultice, salve, sedative, stimulant, vulnerary[13][23][24][26][6][8][14][15][16][19]. It is chewed in the treatment of sore throats, coughs, asthma, cystitis, dysentery etc[16][19][21]. Externally, it is applied to sores, wounds, piles, ringworm, scabies etc[16][19]. 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[19]. The mildly astringent inner bark is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and childhood cholera[16].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Parasiticide
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Sedative
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[23][24][26][27]. It forms in cavities of the bark and also exudes naturally. It is harvested in autumn[9][19]. Production can be stimulated by beating the trunk in the spring[8][19]. The resin has a wide range of uses including medicinal, incense, perfumery, soap and as an adhesive[6]. It is also chewed and used as a tooth cleaner[10]. Wood - heavy, fairly hard, fine-grained, not strong, light, tough, resilient. It weighs about 37lb per cubic foot[17]. The wood takes a high polish and can be stained then used as a cherry, mahogany or walnut substitute[8]. It is also used for furniture, flooring, fruit dishes, veneer etc[23][26][28][6][17].

Product or use
Adhesive
Product or use
Incense
Product or use
Resin
Product or use
Dental care
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Connecticut to Florida, west to Texas and Illinois.
Habitat
Swampy woods which are often inundated annually[22] and on rich bottom lands[28].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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 sunny sheltered position[4][12]. Succeeds in light shade[11]. Prefers a neutral to acid soil[5]. Plants grow poorly in shallow soils overlying chalk[11]. Young plants are susceptible to damage from late frosts. A highly ornamental plant, especially in its autumn foliage[1][17], it grows well in Cornwall[25] and S. England but does not do well in the north[30]. 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[17]. Trees commence flowering when about 20 - 25 years old[18]. The leaves emit a balsam-like fragrance when they fall in the autumn, this is retained until the leaves are quite withered[20]. Plants in the north of their range do not produce much resin[10]. Resists honey fungus[29]. This species resents root disturbance, young plants should be pot-grown and be placed in their permanent positions as soon as possible[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-394-72811-4

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  3. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  4. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

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  5. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society 1982-00-00

    ↩

  6. Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-292-78958-3

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  7. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩

  8. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Pesman. M. W. Meet Flora Mexicana. Dale S. King. Arizona. 1962-00-00

    ↩

  10. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2

  12. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  13. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  14. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

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  15. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

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  16. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  17. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  18. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩

  19. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  20. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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  21. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

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  22. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

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  23. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  24. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩1↩2

  25. Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall.

    ↩

  26. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2↩3

  27. Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber

    ↩

  28. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2

  29. RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987-00-00

    ↩

  30. Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs.

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