Liquidambar (American Sweet Gum)
Grown almost entirely for its brilliant orange, red and purple autumn colour on distinctive star-shaped leaves, which develops best in full sun. This becomes a genuinely large tree at maturity - 15-20m tall with a 6-8m spread - so give it real space well away from paths, driveways and underground services. The spiky seed pods ('gum balls') it drops are worth factoring in if it will overhang a lawn or path. No New Zealand-specific pest or disease problems were found in research for this entry; it's generally considered a low-maintenance, trouble-free specimen tree once established.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 600cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 18m
- Evergreen
- No, deciduous
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: March-April and September-October. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: September-October.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst few months
- Give it real space well away from paths, driveways and underground services; this becomes a genuinely large tree at 15-20m tall with a 6-8m spread
- Full sun brings out the best autumn colour, so avoid shaded positions
- Water while establishing; moderate ongoing needs
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- No New Zealand-specific pest or disease problems were found for this species; it's generally considered trouble-free
- Confirm the tree is developing its distinctive star-shaped leaves and habit as expected
Autumn colour
- Brilliant orange, red and purple autumn colour develops best in full sun
- Spiky seed pods ('gum balls') begin dropping around this time, worth factoring in if the tree overhangs a lawn or path
Maturity
- Considered a low-maintenance, trouble-free specimen tree once established
- Continue managing dropped gum balls if the canopy overhangs paths or lawn areas