Leaf:  Alternate, simple; star-shaped or maple-like with 5, sometimes 7, long-pointed, finely saw-toothed lobes and 5 main veins from notched base; resinous odor when crushed; leafstalks slender, nearly as long as blades; shiny dark green above, turning reddish, purple, or yellow in autumn. 3 to 6 inches long and wide. 

Flower:  Tiny; in greenish ball-like clusters in spring; male in several clusters along a stalk; female in drooping clusters on same tree,; opening at about the same time as the leaves unfold.

Fruit:  Long-stalked drooping brown balls composed of many individual fruits, each fruit ending in 2 long, curved, prickly points; the whole structure being 1 to 1 1/4 inches' in diameter, containing many seeds; maturing in autumn and persisting into winter.

Twig:  Green to brown, stout, often forming corky wings; leaf scars alternate, half-elliptical, slightly elevated, with 3 bundle traces.

Bark:  Dark gray; deeply furrowed into narrow scaly ridges. 

Form:  Tree up to 100 feet (30 meters) tall; straight trunk with diameter 1 1/2 to 3 feet (0.5 to 0.9 meters); conical or pyramidal crown that becomes round and spreading. 

Discussion

Sweet gum is one of the leading furniture woods and is used for cabinetwork, veneer, plywood, pulpwood, barrels, boxes, crates, baskets, and interior woodwork. 

Pioneers obtained a gum from the trunk by peeling the bark and scraping off the resin-like solid beneath.  The gum was used medicinally as well as for chewing gum.

Attractive leaves make sweet gum useful as an ornamental, though the "gum balls" may be a nuisance on the ground.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The star-shaped leaves readily distinguish this tree.

Distribution

Southwestern Connecticut across southern Illinois to eastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas, east to central Florida. 

Images

Click each small picture to see a larger image.

October, 2002 KR Upper surface	June, 2003 Lower surface	October, 2002 BH Leaf attachment	February, 2003	February, 2003 February, 2003
April, 2003 Early flower habit	April, 2003 Early flower cluster	May, 2003 Staminate and  pistillate flowers	May, 2003 Pistillate flowers	May, 2003 Staminate flowers	October, 2002 KR Fruit

Location

N 39.2779°   W -89.87895°                                                               
234 East Second South Street, Carlinville, Macoupin County, IL.

Copyright

Photos © 2002 Brittany Haley and Kamie Rutherford, Carlinville High School, linke@carlinvilleschools.net

References

Elbert L. Little, Field Guide to Trees:  Eastern Region, 1980, Alfred A. Knopf.

Robert H. Mohlenbrock, Forest Trees of Illinois, 1996, Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

George D. Fuller and E. E. Nuuttila, Forest Trees of Illinois, 1955, Illinois Department of Conservation.

US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, for Western North Carolina Nature Center
http://www.wildwnc.org
   (Click "Native Trees", "Sweetgum")

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