Most admired for its 5-pointed star-shaped deep glossy green leaves and its gumballs—the 1" hard round prickly “fruit” that can hang into winter and become a real ankle twister in the spring when the ground is covered with them. Great fall display spans a range of colors. Tall pyramidal trees may become more rounded with age. Sweetgum references the fragrant sap that exudes from wounds, once used for chewing gum. Wood was prized for furniture veneer.

Needs full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions including clay and occasional flooding. Salt tolerant but sensitive to urban pollution. Fast growing after a few years; give the roots plenty of space. Native to eastern U.S. from Connecticut south and west into Mexico. We are offering it as a good tree to trial for in Maine’s rapidly warming climate. May show dieback in cold snaps beyond –20°. Z5. (1–3' bare-root trees)