Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua
Also called American sweetgum and Redgum
Garden plant · TreesAutumn colour is the entire point and it is unreliable on chalk — the leaves go yellow and drop instead of turning. Acid or neutral ground, or choose something else.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 5 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade, in acid or neutral soil
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a very cold winter RHS H6, to -20°C
- Size
- 18 m tall · 10 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- Eastern North America and Central America
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-10. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.