Liquidambar styraciflua
Standard Sweet Gum
American Sweet Gum with spectacular autumn foliage in shades of purple, orange, and red. Maple-like leaves.
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01672 861883The Standard Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is grown as a clear-stemmed standard with a naturally conical crown. Its large, star-shaped leaves and extraordinary autumn colour display — ranging through orange, scarlet, crimson, and purple — make it one of the most spectacular ornamental trees for UK gardens.
- Deciduous with exceptional autumn colour
- Available in a range of stem girths and overall heights
- Standard form with a conical to pyramidal crown
- Distinctive star-shaped, maple-like foliage
- Prefers moist, acidic to neutral soil
- Available for delivery throughout the planting season
Browse our current standard tree stock, selected for structure, form, and maturity
View Stock & PricesThe Standard Sweet Gum is a clear-stemmed specimen of Liquidambar styraciflua, grown as a standard tree with a naturally conical to broadly pyramidal crown. Sweet Gum is one of the finest autumn-colouring trees available for UK gardens, with large, star-shaped leaves that deliver an exceptional display of reds, oranges, purples, and golds.
The distinctive five- to seven-lobed, maple-like leaves emerge bright green in spring and form a dense, attractive canopy through summer. The autumn colour is the main event — a prolonged and spectacular transition through shades of orange, scarlet, crimson, and deep purple, often with multiple colours present on the tree simultaneously. The display rivals any Japanese maple but on a far grander scale.
Liquidambar styraciflua prefers moist, acidic to neutral soil and full sun for the best autumn colour. It is reasonably hardy once established but performs best in a sheltered position away from late frosts. Avoid alkaline or very chalky soils where the tree may struggle. It makes an outstanding specimen tree or avenue planting where autumn colour is a priority.