Liquidambar styraciflua 'SLENDER SILHOUETTE'

Sweetgums are highly ornamental trees or shrubs which have been on top of the popularity list for centuries. These come from North America from where they spread to nearly whole world: from colder parts of temperate regions to southern countries where summer temperatures easily reach 40°C. Their give-away are star-shaped leaves which can easily be mistaken for maple leaves, and their autumn colours.

Slender Silhouette is a beautiful sweetgum which could be your perfect choice for a small garden or a miniature front yard. A 5m tall plant seldom exceeds 1m wide. It is a slow growing version of sweetgum with strictly upright and columnar habit. The leaves are quite large, conspicuously lobed with 5 lobes. They are mid green in summer, turning golden yellow, orange and bright red in autumn. Coloured leaves remain on the tree for a long time.

Another nice feature is the fruit. Formed in about 3 cm wide spiny spheres they can be quite attractive to look at and a bit irritating when stepped on barefoot once they have hardened up, if not cleared from pavements or lawns in spring. Pruning is not necessary but if you want to keep it short do so at the end of winter before the buds burst out.

Sweet gums are soil tolerant but prefer semi-fertile, deep, and well-drained soil that should be slightly acidic to neutral and moist. Once established they can take both temporary flooding and drought. The location should be sunny as it does not tolerate shaded areas. If you buy a plant taller than say 1.5m stake it well for at least 2 years. Plants older than 3 years are fully hardy to -27°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 07-01-2009