The trunk is normally straight and does not divide into double or multiple leaders and side branches are small in diameter on young trees, creating a pyramidal form. The smooth, mottled bark forms an easily identified spotted pattern. These giants can grow to over 75 feet tall when fully established, and color landscapes with their glossy green leaves. Inconspicuous. A tree with this structure is called a mallee. Existing trees often dieback near the top of the crown, apparently due to extreme sensitivity to construction injury to the root system, or drought injury. This tree may also be found as mallee varieties, forming a base tuber from which it can resprout. The fruitless sweetgum should be planted in full sun where it … Average Size at Maturity. Fall color yellow-orange. The star-shaped leaves are reminiscent of Maple leaves and further interest is provided by woody seed clusters in winter that are known as "gumballs". As the Australian National Botanic Gardens mentions, the mistaken name may have been because the European botanist who cataloged the plant (Franz Wilhelm Sieber) came across an atypical specimen with an unusually low number of flowers, or because his collected specimen lost flowers in transit. 'Slender Sihlouette' was introduced by Don Shadow of Shadow Nursery, who found the 60-foot-tall, 3-foot-wide original growing nearby a railroad track. The smooth, powdery bark on the manna gum comes off in hanging strips, making this tree unmistakable. Common Names: sweetgum, redgum, star-leaved gum, alligator-wood, and gumtree Habitat: Sweetgum grows in moist soils of valleys and lower sloped areas. It also grows in scattered locations in northwestern and central Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Almost all gum trees are native to Australia, where they are the primary food of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). Look for the star-shaped leaf as foliage grows in the spring and look for the dried seed balls under the tree. We hand collect and grow all our Ontario Native plants, strictly from seeds we collect. In fall, the leaves will put on a show for you when … "By testing multiple trees of the same variety, we can be sure that the superior growth and wood density are due to their genetics, rather than other factors," Merkle said. Genus Liquidambar are deciduous trees grown for their alternate, maple-like leaves which take on brilliant and long-lasting autumn colour; flowers and fruits are inconspicuous Details L. styraciflua is a deciduous tree to 20m tall, broadly conical in outline, with rather glossy, maple-like, 5 to 7-lobed leaves which turn to shades of orange, crimson and purple in autumn The last genus once was included in the Eucalyptus genus up until the 1990s, and some sources may still identify the species as belonging to that genus. The seasonal interest starts with the Maple like lobed leaves which emerge green in spring before their party piece in autumn when they turn to dazzling reds mixed with yellows, oranges and even purples. Within the myrtle (Myrtaceae) family of plants, there are three genera containing shrub and tree species commonly known as gum trees: Eucalyptus (the majority of gum species), Angophora, and Corymbia. $5. We are also beekeepers and sell both liquid and creamed fresh Ontario Honey. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. One unpopular feature about sweet gum are the seed pods, also called “sticker balls,” “burr balls,” and “monkey balls.” Although striking looking while hanging on the tree, as a kid they made jumping in raked leaf piles painful. The oil from the leaves can cause a skin irritation, but this is rarely serious. The Sweet Gum is one of the finest trees for autumn colour. 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