Family Hamamelidaceae.
Originating from North America.
- A medium-sized tree with a conical form when young.
- Beautiful, long lobed leaves put on a pyrotechnical show in autumn.
- Easy to grow, hardy and vigorous.
The Red Autumn Sweet Gum in Your Garden
A crown of distinctive foliage, often referred to as star-shaped, but in reality, they have much more interesting forms. There are many different foliage shapes in a single crown, but many have a long, extended, finger-like lobe. Most have smooth margins, giving them a stylish, sleek look. Glossy, rich green during summer, the autumn show is breathtaking and kaleidoscopic.
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Lane Roberts’ is hardy in most UK gardens. It grows steadily to around 10-12m tall and 4–6m wide over 10–20 years, broadening with age. Slightly smaller growing than some sweetgums, it makes a majestic specimen in Norfolk and Suffolk’s medium to large gardens.
The red autumn sweetgum’s show is one of the most spectacular and long-lasting of all plants. Red, yellow, orange and purple-black can all be present in the crown together. L. ‘Lane Roberts’ has a particularly reliable colouring with a strong dark purple-black showing. With their unique and endlessly variable shapes and colours, each leaf is like an artwork.
Did you know?
There are many medicinal and therapeutic uses for sweetgum fruits, known as Lu Lu Tong in traditional Chinese medicine. Their name means ‘All roads Open’, and they are used to make a circulatory medicine.
Growing Tips for Your Red Autumn Sweet Gum, Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Lane Roberts’
- Soil and sun: any non-alkaline, well-drained soil. Full sun for the best foliage colour, tolerates part shade.
- Planting: at any time of year. Never plant a dry plant! Plunge or stand the pot in water to thoroughly drench the rootball before planting. Do not add soil improvers.
- Watering: moderate; tolerates spells of drought once established. Water young plants during summer in their first two seasons.
In summer, spiky ball-shaped fruits add interest amongst the foliage. Traditional folk medicine has long used these for their strong antiviral properties, a benefit now confirmed by modern science. The tree’s aromatic sap, or ‘gum’, is used in cosmetics and as incense. Enjoy its upright form and outstanding foliage character and colouration in your garden, there are few better deciduous specimen trees.
