The leaves have toothed margins.
While some people find these fruits ornamental, most dislike them for the mess they cause when they drop.
To avoid the mess, look for the non-fruiting cultivarLiquidambar styraciflua’Rotundiloba.'
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Consider saving them for DIY art projects.
American Sweetgum Care
American sweetgum trees are best planted in spring.
You will have a low-maintenance tree if you grow the ‘Rotundiloba’cultivarof American sweetgum.
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Growing the cultivar eliminates most of the need to rake up gumballs as they fall.
With its shallow root system, this tree shouldn’t be planted near sidewalks, concrete patios, etc.
Soil
Although American sweetgum tolerates clayey soil, give it a well-drainedloamfor optimal performance.
The Spruce / Heidi Kolsky
It will also prosper the most in deep soil.
It does not like alkaline soil.
But it isn’t reliably cold-hardy north of zone 5.
The Spruce / Heidi Kolsky
Fertilize with compost, manure tea, or an all-purpose fertilizer.
These trees can be treated annually to prevent them from producing fruits.
The best time to do it is right after the blooming period, April or May.
The Spruce / Heidi Kolsky
Otherwise, this tree doesn’t require pruning.
The tricky part of using them for propagation is the timing.
On the one hand, green gumballs aren’t ripe.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
This is because, when drying is complete, tiny holes will develop on the surface of the gumball.
The seeds are ejected out of these holes.
So there’s just a tiny window of opportunity for you to work with.
The Spruce / Heidi Kolsky
You want to bring the fruit indoors to complete the process.
A dry place is ideal.
Place the fruit in a shallow pan.
Sow the seed outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.
Overwintering
American sweetgum is cold-hardy to zone 5.
Common Plant Diseases
The species tolerates pests (such asrabbits) quite well.
But it is susceptible to some plant diseases.
The spots appear on top of the leaf.
Chlorosis is often signaled by leaves or leaf veins turning yellow.
You will have to correct the soil deficiency to address the chlorosis problem.
Before doing so, send a soil sample to your county extension office.
They will specify the deficiency in your case and suggest a soil amendment as a remedy.
For example, fertilizers geared to acid-loving plants are often used tolower the soil pH.
Deer tend to leave American sweetgum alone.
American sweetgum trees are fairly drought-tolerant trees once mature.
Its fall foliage is perhaps the plant’s best selling point.
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua).
