Sweet Gum Tree

This sweet gum tree is Liquidambar styraciflua, the native American sweetgum with star-shaped leaves and some of the best fall color of any shade tree in the East. We ship it bare-root in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for landscapers, developers and wholesale buyers planting for fast shade and wildlife.

Sweet Gum Tree Size, Zones and Sun

Plan on 60 to 100 feet of height with a spread of 40 to 50 feet, so this is a tree for open ground, not a postage-stamp yard. It grows quickly and it's hardy in zones 5 to 9. Full sun gives the best shape and color, though part shade is fine. Sweet gum takes clay, loam or sand, and an occasional wet spell or dry stretch doesn't bother it. Neutral to acidic soil that drains reasonably well is where it does best.

Sweet Gum Leaves, Bark and Fall Color

The leaves give it away: five-pointed stars that look cut from paper. In fall they turn yellow, orange, purple and red, and that range is why sweet gum keeps turning up on autumn color lists. If you want to see how it compares with sycamore and silver maple, our fall foliage roundup puts them side by side. The bark is light gray with corky scales when young and gets deeply furrowed with age, and the twigs sometimes grow corky ridges that add a little interest in winter.

Sweet Gum and Wildlife

Imperial moth and hickory horned devil caterpillars feed on sweet gum leaves, songbirds eat the seeds, and small mammals gnaw the bark in winter. Deer tend to pass it over. It makes a useful anchor tree for a wildlife planting.

Where to Plant Sweet Gum

Think large lawns, park edges, campuses, roadside buffers and big residential lots. The roots run shallow, so keep the trunk a good distance from sidewalks, driveways and foundations. If you're planting a row, space the trees wide, since each one spreads 40 to 50 feet. For planting depth, watering and soil notes, our care advice for planting sweet gums in bulk covers the basics.

Good to Know About Sweet Gum

The spiky seed balls, known as gumballs, are 1 to 3 inches across and drop from December through April. They rake up easily, but we'd keep the tree off patios, pool decks and walking paths. In alkaline soil the leaves can yellow, so test pH before planting a large block.

Planting Sweet Gum Bare-root

Open the bundle the day it lands and check the roots. If they feel dry, give them a few hours in a bucket before anything else. Planting itself is simple: a hole wide enough that the roots don't fold over, the same soil back in, then a slow soaking. Pull the mulch away from the bark so it doesn't touch. The first summer is the only one where you'll need to keep an eye on the hose.

Buying Sweet Gum Trees in Bulk

At 40 feet between trees, you get about 27 sweet gums to the acre, so the larger packs are built for commercial sites, reclamation jobs and subdivision buffers. The 1-2 foot trees are the easiest to ship and plant in volume, and the 3-4 foot size gives a head start where you want height sooner.

Sweet Gum Tree Sizes, Packs and Shipping

Sweet gum trees ship bare-root in November, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes and packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more wholesale trees for sale.