LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, CULTIVATION, CARE - BIOLOGY

Liquidambar styraciflua is a deciduous tree that belongs to the Altingiaceae family. Known as amber tree, storach tree, storach, sweetgum, ocozol, or American sweetgum, it is a species native to North America.

It is a fast growing deciduous tree with striated bark and a pyramidal crown that reaches 35 m in height. Petiolate leaves are palmate or lobed orange, red, or purple in fall. It is a monoecious species with simple flowers and compound fruits with winged seeds.

Liquidambar styraciflua. Source: Frank Vincentz

It is grown as an ornamental plant in squares, parks or large gardens due to its large size and the color of its leaves during autumn. The compact fine-grained wood is used in carpentry, in addition the roots, bark and resin have medicinal properties such as antidiarrheal, fever-reducing and sedative.

General characteristics

Appearance

It is a deciduous tree with a pyramidal bearing that measures 25-40 m in height and is 1-2 m thick at chest height. The straight trunk deeply fissured with discontinuous cork sheets, is branched from the base with alternate, ascending and thin branches.

The outer suberified bark is greyish in color, the inner yellowish-cream, fibrous and bitter; a crystalline resin emanates from the bark. The deep and extended pivoting root system features creeping, extensive, woody and hard roots.

Leaves

It has simple spiral leaves, with 3-5 triangular lobes, serrated margins, wider than long (5-15 cm wide by 4-12 cm long). The petiole is usually 6-10 cm, with 3-4 mm basal stipules. Its color is dark green and it turns orange, red and purple during the fall. Strong smell of turpentine.

flowers

Monoecious species. The male inflorescences of conical shape and glaucous tones are arranged in straight pedunculated racemes 4-8 cm long. The small female flowers lack sepals and petals, organizing themselves in a large number of spherical and hanging green inflorescences.

Fruit

The fruit is a glossy black woody head 2-4 cm in diameter arranged on a peduncle 5-7 cm long. Each head contains 20-50 septicidal bilocular capsules containing the seeds that are dispersed with the help of the wind.

Inflorescences of Liquidambar styraciflua. Source: Philmarin

Taxonomy

- Kingdom: Plantae

- Division: Magnoliophyta

- Class: Magnoliopsida

- Order: Saxifragales

- Family: Altingiaceae

- Genus: Liquidambar

- Species: Liquidambar styraciflua L. Sp. Pl., Vol. 2 P. 999, 1753.

Etymology

- Liquidambar: the name of the genus comes from the Latin word «liquidus» and the Arabic word «ambar». The latter in reference to the amber resin that emanates from its bark.

- styraciflua: the specific adjective is constituted by the union of the terms "styrax" and "ciflua" which means "Styrax gum".

Synonymy

- Liquidambar barbata Stokes

- Liquidambar gummifera Salisbury

- L. macrophylla Oerst.

- L. styraciflua f. rotundiloba Rehder

- Liquidambar styraciflua var. Mexican Oerst.

Leaves of Liquidambar styraciflua. Source: harum.koh from Kobe city, Japan

Cultivars

- Burgundy: persistent leaves in winter, dark red and purple.

- Clydesform: commercially known as «Emerald Sentinel®», it is a tree with a columnar or narrow columnar appearance that reaches up to 9 m in height. It has yellow and orange leaves.

- Festival: columnar plant with light green leaves during the summer and bright yellow, red and pink tones during the fall.

- Goduzam or Golden Powder: plant with variegated foliage, shades of pink, red or purple during autumn.

- Grazam: tree with a pyramidal structure. Orange, red or purple leaves in the summer.

- Gumball: short-growing or shrubby dwarf cultivar, barely reaching 2 m in height. The leaves are red and purple.

- Moraine: rounded crown, fast growing plant, red leaves, adapts to very low temperature conditions.

- Palo Alto: cultivar characteristic of California. The leaves present various shades of red during the fall.

- Parasol: rounded crown, reaches 10 m in height. The leaves have a deep red hue.

- Rotundiloba: the leaves of this sterile cultivar are characterized by their rounded lobes.

- Slender Silhouette: plant with a very narrow columnar appearance.

- Worplesdon: orange, red and purple leaves.

Habitat and distribution

It is native to the temperate regions of North America, from southern New York, southwestern Missouri, eastern Texas, and south-central Florida. In the wild it is found in California, Florida and Mexico. In addition, some specific varieties are native to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

It grows on clay-loam soils, humid, compact and slightly acidic. It is a species that tolerates heavy and poorly drained soils, and is not very tolerant of saline soils.

In alkaline conditions it tends to develop chlorosis in the foliage, mainly in soils with low content of organic matter. Flowering occurs from March to May, and fruit maturation occurs in late autumn, when it releases its seeds.

It is geographically distributed throughout the temperate regions of the planet. In fact, it has been successfully introduced as far away as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Europe, Hawaii, New Zealand, South Africa, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe.

It is located in open fields, forests, flooded plains, swamps, or around waterways. It grows in an altitudinal range from sea level to 800 m altitude.

In some high areas, such as the Bogotá savanna at more than 2,650 meters above sea level, it has adapted in altitude, temperature and rainfall, maintaining its characteristic foliage. In the United States it grows in low ranges of altitude, while in Mesoamerica it adapts to higher altitudes in temperate climates.

Liquidambar styraciflua seeds. Source: Philmarin

Culture

Propagation by seeds

The propagation of the American sweetgum by means of seeds takes place during the fall, since the seeds require a process of pregermination with cold. The sowing is done in pots with substrates for acid plants based on blond peat, perlite, sand, compost or organic fertilizer.

It is recommended to place 2 seeds per point, water, apply a fungicide product to prevent the appearance of fungi and cover with a thin layer of substrate. The pots are placed outdoors, under partial shade and frequent watering with a sprayer; seeds germinate in early spring.

In environmental conditions of warm weather and very mild frosts, it is recommended to apply a pre-germination process. In this case, the ideal is to stratify the seeds in the refrigerator for three months and sow in the middle of March.

Propagation by cuttings

Vegetative propagation through side branch cuttings takes place in late winter. The 35-40 cm long cuttings are selected from semi-hardwood branches on healthy, strong and vigorous plants, free from pests and diseases.

It is advisable to apply phytohormones that promote the emission of rootlets. The cuttings are placed in a fertile substrate and kept under greenhouse conditions. If the conditions are right, the cuttings begin the emission of new roots after 1-2 months.

Fall foliage of Liquidambar styraciflua. Source: Luis Fernández García

Care

Location

The American sweetgum actually thrives in full solar explosion, ideal temperatures being those ranging between 10-20 ºC. In fact, solar radiation during autumn influences the variation in the color of its leaves.

The planting area requires enough space and depth, since the roots need a deep space to expand and can be easily propagated.

Substratum

It grows on clay-textured soils, rich in organic matter, slightly acidic (pH 4-6), very humid, but well drained. In the initial phase of growth it can be kept in pots as long as a fertile substrate is used and the environmental conditions allow it.

Fertilization

It is recommended to make monthly applications of organic fertilizers during the spring and early fall. In the case that the soil has a high pH, higher than 7, it is advisable to apply an amendment with chelated iron.

Irrigation

Irrigation should be abundant and frequent during the summer, limited and occasional during the winter. In general, it is recommended to water 4-5 times a week during the summer, and every 3-4 days the rest of the year.

Pruning

Wild American sweetgum does not require frequent pruning, but it is advisable to remove diseased or dead branches, avoiding causing injuries to the bark. For this, it is necessary to use sharp pruning shears or manual saws, depending on the size of the branch to be removed.

Grown as an ornamental plant in parks or gardens, once it reaches the desired height, the main bud should be cut to favor the growth of lateral branches. In the same way, it is necessary to limit the growth of the lateral branches to give it the desired shape.

Rusticity

This species is very resistant to cold, since it supports up to -15 ºC. However, it is not adapted to regions without occasional frost.

Plagues and diseases

It is a fast-growing, long-lived and highly rustic tree, little affected by pests and diseases. However, under adverse conditions it can be attacked by caterpillars or insects that affect the bark and foliage.

Similarly, it can be affected by pathogenic fungi that cause leaf spots, wood rot or root necrosis. They can even show chlorosis if the soils are too alkaline. It is advisable to determine the causes and apply the necessary corrections.

References

Liquidambar styraciflua. (2019). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
Liquidambar styraciflua L. (2019) Catalog of Life. GBIF - Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Recovered at: gbif.org
Liquidámbar (Liquidámbar styraciflua) (2013) Environment Directorate, Urban Tree Maintenance Unit. Urban Trees of Chile, CONAF.
Liquidambar - Liquidambar styraciflua L. (2018) ProNatura Veracruz AC
McCarter PS & Hughes, CE (1984). Liquidambar styraciflua L. A species of potential for the tropics. Commonwealth Forestry Review, 63 (3): 207-216.
Sánchez, Mónica (2018) Liquidambar stycariflua. GardeningOn. recovered in: jardineriaon.com
Vázquez-Yanes, C., AI Batis Muñoz, MI Alcocer Silva, M. Gual Díaz and C. Sánchez Dirzo. (1999). Trees and shrubs potentially valuable for ecological restoration and reforestation. Technical report of project J084. CONABIO - Institute of Ecology, UNAM.

LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, CULTIVATION, CARE - BIOLOGY - 2024