OF Ohio 



73 



T 



SWEET GUM 



Liquidambar Styraciflua, Linnaeus 



HE Sweet Gum, also called Red Gum and Liquidambar. 

 is a handsome tree native locally in southern Ohio. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, 3 to 5 inches long, 

 broader than long, star-shaped, six-pointed. In autumn they 

 turn to a pale orange to deep red, and when crushed give off 

 fragrant odor. 



The flowers arc 

 green and of two kinds. 

 Pollen-bearing are ar- 

 ranged in tassels 2 to 3 

 inches long. Seed-pro- 

 ducing occur in long- 

 stalked heads. 



The fruit is a long- 

 stalkcd round head 

 made up of many cap- 

 sules each containing 

 many small seeds. 



The bark on older 

 trunks is deeply fur- 

 rowed, grayish-brown, 

 and scaly. On younger 

 trunks it is smoother 

 and dark gray. The 

 twigs are stout, angular, 

 smooth, with corky 

 winged projections. The 

 buds are sharp-pointed, lustrous brown, fragrant when 



crushed. 



The wood is rather hard, strong, reddish-brown, with 

 white sapwood. It is used for boxes, crates, furniture and 

 interior finishing. Large quantities are used in imitation 

 of Circassian Walnut. 



The Sweet Gum grows naturally from Connecticut to 

 Florida and as far south as Guatemala. In the swamps of 

 the Coastal Plains it reaches a height of 120 feet and a diam- 

 eter of 4 feet. In Ohio it occurs locally in Gallia, Lawrence, 

 Scioto, Adams, Brown and Greene Counties. It is being 

 planted extensively as an ornamental tree. This tree has a 

 symmetrical form, grows rapidly, produces unique leaves, 

 and has few enemies. 



SWEET GUM 

 One-fourth natural siie. 



