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sweetgum "GUM BALL"

Liquidambar styraciflua
Liquidambar styraciflua
"GUM BALL"

sweetgum

USUAL HEIGHT and WIDTH
2-3m
LEAVES
deciduous broadleaf
SIZE/TYPE
small tree		 COLOUR OF LEAVES

green
BLOOMING TIME
LOCATION
full to partial sun		 FLOWERS
insignificant or non-blooming
USDA zone (lowest)
5b   (down to -27°C) 		COLOUR OF FLOWERS
WINTER PROTECTION
for zone 5+6
Code of winter protection zone 5+6
for zone 7
Code of winter protection zone 7
 Belongs to categories
Deciduous broadleaf
SIZE and PRICES
form container size size quality price (incl. VAT) where in stock sending options quantity
NOT IN STOCK? WHY NOT TO TRY A SIMILAR ONE:
Liquidambar styracifluaLiquidambar styraciflua
THE PRICES INCLUDE VAT of 9%. For quick conversion you can use 1 CZK = approx. 0.04 EUR

 



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GLOSSARY

  • STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
  • DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
  • EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
  • STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
  • SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
  • HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
  • FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
  • GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
 DESCRIPTION
Sweetgums are very popular trees from the USA. Thanks to the 5-lobed leaves they are often mistaken for maples. However, leaves of sweetgum are more star-shaped and usually smaller. The most spectacular show begins in autumn when they turn all sorts of vivid colours. They fall down late, throughout winter and the tree is decorated with fruits, which are small, spiny spheres.

If you like sweetgum and you are afraid of its size in maturity try this one. Gum Ball is a great variety with dwarf growth and reduced size. After 10 years it can grow to some 2.5m with a total of 3m in maturity. Its crown is quite regular even without pruning.

The leaves are identical to basic sweetgum: deep green in the summer, with 5 lobes, deeply cut, in the autumn they change to dark red and deep burgundy, almost black. The bark is grey with striking ribs that appear as the tree grows older.

It likes any fertile to mid-fertile soil, preferably acidic and moist. Fully hardy to -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 12-02-2008.