Sweet Gum - Liquidambar styraciflua
A tree to 20 metres tall with rather glossy, maple-like, 5 to 7-lobed leaves, held alternately on the twig.
Maples have similar leaves, but are held in opposite pairs
Please provide a photograph showing alternate leaves.
Usually occurs as a planted tree on roadsides, country parks etc.
The small, greenish flowers bloom from March to early May, depending on latitude and weather conditions. Fruits from September to November.
Deciduous tree.
Occasional, but widespread records in England.
Rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Graham Calow
Sapcote, near Grace Road balancing pond
30 May 2023
Graham Calow
Burbage, Hinckley Park behind Jurys Inn Hotel
28 July 2023
Graham Calow
Sapcote, near Grace Road balancing pond
30 May 2023
Graham Calow
Sapcote, near Grace Road balancing pond
21 May 2022
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
Enter a town or village to see local records
MAP KEY:
Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020
UK Map
Species profile
- Common names
- Sweet Gum
- Species group:
- flowering plant
- Kingdom:
- Plantae
- Order:
- Saxifragales
- Family:
- Altingiaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 3
- First record:
- 21/05/2022 (Calow, Graham)
- Last record:
- 28/07/2023 (Calow, Graham)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.
In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.