Why Plant American Sweetgum?
The American Sweetgum tree (or "Sweet Gum" tree), is a moderately fast-growing shade tree for large properties and makes an excellent addition to your wildlife-friendly garden! Its foliage will feed the caterpillars of the breathtaking, ghostly-green luna moth, and its fruits will produce finch seed as fine as any you can buy at the store. About those fruits...they're prickly capsules called 'gumballs' that are good for painting as ornaments, scattering among your flowers to deter mischievous cats, or throwing at your little brother. The real reason you'll want this tree, however, is for the fall color. Red, orange, yellow, purple, and green leaves will appear - sometimes on the same branch. It's a whole bag of Skittles® candy colors!
In the early 1900’s, a Sweetgum tree at Kittyhawk stood quietly by, watching Wilbur and Orville Wright develop flight as we know it today. I imagine the young tree rooting (no pun intended) for them as they experimented with kites, gliders and eventually airplanes. Perhaps the tree even cheered as they successfully flew the first heavier-than-air powered plane on December 17, 1903 in that field in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The first commercial flight was scheduled in Tampa, Florida in 1914. Today at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, a seedling from the original Sweetgum tree was planted in honor of the Wright Bros.
How to use American Sweetgum in the landscape?
The festive fall foliage colors is what will cause you to have stars in your eyes! This native's large, five-pointed, star shaped leaves change from glossy green in summer to yellows, reds and purples in Autumn. Spiky, golf ball-sized fruit keeps the fall foliage company. The fruit may be a nuisance to some, but can be a crafty resource to others! Corky gray bark is present year round, but gives you stellar appeal in winter! This all star tree is ideal when planted as a specimen tree in your landscape or lining your driveway for a spectacular fall show!
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 5-9
How To Plant American Sweetgum
Sweetgums are fast growing and best recognized by their star-shaped leaves. You might also recognize their spiky ball-shaped seedpods, you usually see them scattered on the ground – a good reason not to plant this tree along a sidewalk or by your patio. Sweetgums like to be planted in full sun and they are really tolerant of all soil conditions. This is one easy-to-grow tree! Sweetgums are almost pest-free. Some common pests are borer and webworm. Most of the time when a pest problem occurs, it is because the tree has become stressed. Proper tree care and maintenance will usually rule out most future problems with insects or diseases.
How To Water
After you initially plant your Sweetgum, be sure to water it deeply. You'll need to keep it watered for the first few years, this will help your tree become established in your garden.
How To Prune
Prune your Sweetgum in late winter when needed. As your tree grows, you might need to prune off some of the lower branches if they are growing too low on the trunk, this is what we call “limbing up” your tree.
How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
