November Tree of the Month-Sweetgum

Those of us who are graced with the ownership of a mature sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) know that it is a tree for all seasons…for it is ALWAYS gumball season. Most people are aware of the dreaded, spiky fruit balls that are a nuisance to clean up and downright painful to step on. (I haven’t walked barefoot in my own yard for 30 years now!) But equally as messy, but not as painful, are the flower structures that litter sidewalks, driveways, and car hoods for weeks, resembling fuzzy green grape clusters or, as my young neighbor described, “little broccoli trees.”  These flower structures clog gutters, downspouts, and drains like a champ, eventually disintegrating into a mushy, powdery mess. Even the bud scales that fall off as the new leaves emerge in spring leave a sizeable mess.

Here’s a graph to help visualize and plan your clean-up tasks accordingly:

You would think I hate sweetgums, but despite the year-round mess, they are stunning trees once mature. My front yard sweetgum is close to 100 years old, and I can’t imagine the view from my front windows without it. However, I do question who decided on the placement way back in 1936, when the tree was planted… between the driveway and the front walk, close enough to the house to hover over the roof and gutters. AND they planted a second one (since removed) right over the back of the house, the garage and drive, plus the critical drain that prevents water from flooding into the basement.

But wait, you say… There are cultivars like ‘Rotundaloba’ that don’t fruit! Guess what, they eventually do fruit, just perhaps not as much. There are also treatments like Ethephon, a gas sprayed on the tree canopy to kill buds, and IBA injections, which can also prevent fruiting by killing buds; however, both are expensive and rely on perfect timing, not to mention that they should be applied by a certified professional.  When we were young, new homeowners, we attempted to spray the front sweetgum, but since we lacked a cherry picker or spider crane, covering a 70-foot mature canopy was futile, and so yes, we still got fruit. I cringe now to think what else the drift landed on.

See how St. Louis Tree Pros cleans up a mature storm-damaged sweetgum in the Garden-Lou Garden!

Sweetgums can grow up to 80’ high and 60’ wide. That leaves a lot of surface area below to clean up balls and other debris from. They prefer full sun and tolerate most soils except alkaline soils.

So yes, they are great native trees with decent fall color, but so are dozens of other shade trees that aren’t quite as messy. Sweetgums are best admired in a park or your neighbor’s yard. (As long as it doesn’t hover over YOUR driveway or house!)

What I love about this plant:

-It’s native!

-Stately shade tree

-Decent fall color

-Fun, star-shaped leaves.

-Some people use the prickly fruits for crafts, wreaths, etc..

What’s not so great:

-Messy bud scales, flowers, and ever-dropping fruit.

-Sweetgums are known to drop occasional branches. Once mature, these branches can be the size of small trees. Keep that in mind if one hovers over your home or garage. Placement is key to avoid clogged gutters, messy drives or walkways, and trip & fall hazards.

-Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer

© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2025, All rights reserved.