TREE PROPOSAL

LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA

Marley Lightfoot
DR. SUSAN DAY UFOR 300
MARLEY LIGHTFOOT

TREE PROPOSAL:
LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA
ABOUT THE TREE

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) originates from the south-eastern United States. It is

known for its branching pattern and brilliant fall color. That, combined with the size and
leaf shape make it an aesthetic tree that is ideal for cityscapes.

• Family: Hamamelidaceae
• Tree Type: Deciduous
• Mature Height: 60-80 ft, can grow to 150 ft
• Mature Width: 40-60 ft
• Growth: Moderate to fast
• Form: Pyramidal, rounds with age
• Native Range: from Connecticut to Florida and Missouri; continues south to Texas,
Central America and Mexico
• Common Names:
o Redgum
o Sapgum
o Starleaf-gum
o Blisted
• USDA Zone: Native to zone 5, can be expected to grow in zones 5-9
• Soil Requirements: Very tolerant of a range of soil conditions
o Grows best in the rich, moist and loamy soils of river bottoms
o Tolerates drought
• Sun Requirements: Full sun
• Water use: Moderate
• Limitations: Shallow root system, litter problem with fruit, chlorosis in soils with
high pH
• Leaf Arrangement: Alternate lobed, toothed leaves (5-7 lobes), 4 to 8” long and
maple-like
• Fruit: Spiny balls 1-1.5”, brown in color and persist in winter
• Flowers: Not showy yellowish-green color, monoecious.
• Bark: Mature bark is deeply furrowed and can develop corky ridges, grayish brown
in color.
LOCATIONS

I chose two geographically and elementarily different sites to represent the different
possible phenotypes of sweetgum. One site is managed by the City of Vancouver, and the
other is the responsibility of UBC. The sites are approximately 11 kilometers apart and
they are both about 95 meters above sea level (Figure 1).

Figure 1: This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA. Site 1 represented by the blue point, Site 2 represented by
the red point.

SITE 1

The first site is located behind the Woodward library on East Mall at UBC (Figure 1). East
Mall has sweetgum trees all along one side of the road. Located between the sidewalk and
the road, the trees have approximately 8 ft of soil across. People cross the road frequently
above the root systems, and the whole area was very heavily salted due to the cold weather.
SITE 1 SPECIMEN

Figure 3: Site 1 tree form in full view. Photo taken by Marley Figure 2: Site 1 tree branch view. Photo taken by Marley
Lightfoot. Lightfoot.

SITE 2

The second site is in a field in front of the Hillcrest Recreation Center, located on Peveril
Avenue and 33rd (Figure 1). There are concrete pathways leading to the Recreation Center
separate from the tree. It is a large open area with no other sweetgum or trees in proximity.
There is a baseball field about 40 ft away from the tree, posing no direct traffic flow to the
root system. There are no surrounding trees of other species, nor are there any shrubs or
herbaceous plants, allowing for the tree to have more access to nutrients in the area.
SITE 2 SPECIMEN

Figure 4: Site 2 tree form full view. Photo taken by Marley Figure 5: Site 2 tree branch view. Photo taken by Marley
Lightfoot. Lightfoot.

HOW THEY DIFFER

SITES
Site 1 and Site 2 differ in many ways. Site 1 is near a large building, the sidewalk, and the
road. Site 2 has no concrete paths nearby and no buildings, allowing for full sun exposure
throughout the day. There are buildings on either side of East Mall, potentially limiting the
amount of sun exposure for Site 1. There are paths leading to the Recreation Center that
deter people from walking on the grass and trampling the roots, and therefore keeping
excess salt away from the roots of the tree. There is no limit to the soil in Site 2, compared
to Site 1 that has roads and infrastructure that limit root growth.

TREES
The trees do not differ genetically, although they do differ phenotypically. The tree in Site 1
has a more horizontal branching pattern (Figure 3), with many small secondary branches
extending from primary branches (Figure 2). The tree in Site 2 has a more upward
branching pattern, more characteristic of sweetgum trees (Figure 5). The crown is overall
denser in this tree indicating more vigor compared to the tree in Site 1 (Figure 4). In
addition, the fruit on the tree in Site 2 are much more bountiful and have remained much
longer than those in Site 1. Overall, the tree in Site 2 is exhibiting more classic
characteristics of sweetgum compared to the other specimen.

SOURCES

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

This source provides more detailed information about the different physical aspects of
sweetgum (leaves, flowers, fruit, bark, etc.). In addition, it describes all the cultivars and
varieties of the species. I will be using this source for the description of the tree as well as
cultivar information.

MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN

This source describes the measurements of sweetgum, as well as comments on the growing
conditions. Characteristics such as trunk and bark are discussed in greater detail as well. I
will be using this for tree characteristic information and growing conditions.

USDA FIRE EFFECTS INFORMATION SYSTEM (FEIS) INDEX

This source goes into detail about the management and biological characteristics. I will be
using this source primarily for information about site limitations.

USDA PLANT FACT SHEET

This source describes the adaption, distribution, and establishment of sweetgum. I will be
using this to describe the site limitations, distribution, adaptations, and management of the
tree.

ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION

This source describes the measurements of the tree, as well as some history about
sweetgum. I will be using this source to synthesize more information about the physical
aspects of the tree and gather information about the history of it.

SILVICS OF NORTH AMERICA

This source has extraordinary detail about the habitat of sweetgum as well as the history
and competitive aspects. I will be using this source primarily for the history, and to gather
detailed information about the limitations and competitiveness of sweetgum.
REFERENCES

n.a., American Sweetgum. (n.d.). Retrieved from Arbor Day Foundation Tree Guide :
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?itemID=928

Brand, M. H. (2015). Liquidambar styraciflua . Retrieved from University of Connecticut:

College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources :
http://hort.uconn.edu/detail.php?pid=259

Coladonato, M. (1992). Fire Effects Information System. Retrieved from U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service:
https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/liqsty/all.html

Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Retrieved from Gardening Help: Liquidambar styraciflua
Retrieved from:
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kemp
ercode=c116

USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program (2002, February 5). United States Department of
Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved from Plant Fact
Sheet: https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_list2.pdf

R. M. Burns, & B. H. Honkala (1990). In Silvics of North America: 2. Hardwoods.,

Agriculture Handbook (pp. 400-405). Washington: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service .