Sweetgum Tree

Liquidambar styraciflua

$77³³ $88⁵⁰

In Stock
Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™

Plant Size

#3 Container

Product variants

Plant Sentry™

Delivery and Shipping

Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Highlights

Sweetgum Tree highlights at a glance!

Brand

Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name

Liquidambar styraciflua
Characteristics
- Drought resistant
- Edible
- Fast-growing
- Fragrant
Suitable Space
- Outdoors
Growing Zones

5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Mature Height

60 - 70 feet
Mature Spread

40 - 50 feet
Sun Exposure

Full Sun, Partial Shade
Moisture

Moderate
Soil

Widely Adaptable
Growth Rate

Fast, Medium
Flower Color
- Red
- Green
Fall Color

Yellow, Orange, Red & Purple
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Pruning Time

Early Spring
Bloom Period

Early Spring
Fragrant

Yes

Growing Zones 5-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

Outstanding accent! One of North America's finest and most colorful native species trees for fall color is the showy American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)! Nature Hills Nursery is proud to grow and sell this majestic national treasure for use in either residential or commercial landscapes!

From a distance, American Sweetgum is a graceful presence. You'll admire the energetic form all year long, with strong, upturned branches on bold display. Young star-shaped leaves add a dazzling green cloak all season. These perfectly noticeable leaves feature personable notches along the margins. The leaves are very aromatic when crushed or bruised!

Sometimes spelled Sweet Gum, and having many names depending on your region, including American Storax, Redgum, Satin-Walnut, Star-Leaved Gum, and Alligatorwood, Sweetgum trees have a lot of character! American Sweetgum leaves turn fiery reds through plum purples, spiced gold and harvest orange to celebrate the end of the season.

Spring brings upright red/green flower clusters that transform into green, and then brown spikey balls. Even if you live in the warmer part of its range, you'll be treated with a reliable fall performance. Over time, you'll even be able to feel good about feeding local songbirds with their famous Sweetgum seed fruit balls.

Planting and Application:

These aren't "cookie-cutter" trees, but rather become a special accent or focal point to relish. With a long history as a great shade and specimen tree for landscape curb appeal, these native trees also have several medicinal qualities and produce fine lumber. They earned their name because the dried sap produced a sweet, chewy treat similar to chewing gum.

Add one as a destination at the end of a planned garden walk. You'll be astounded at the color play in fall...each leaf is draped in a different color! Why not place an outdoor fire pit nearby and include a ring of wood stumps for an annual sing-along?

These special trees look right at home in a park-like corporate campus, as well as maximize the diversity of species in your plantings to create a wise landscaping investment by adding an informal grouping. One planted in your front lawn, with a wide mulched bed to catch the spikey balls that drop, will cast cooling shade and become a prominent feature in your home's landscape all year long!

Distinctive Star-Shaped Leaves
Upright, Stately Form - Break-Resistant Branches!
Fall Color is a Vibrant Mix of Red, Orange, Purple & Yellow
Grows Quickly & Valuable Timber
Used for Chewing Gum in the Past
Native Tree Supports Local Wildlife with Shelter & Food
Shade, Specimen, Large Accent & Great Native Tree

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Sweetgum Trees need full sun, but young trees can handle some part shade, especially afternoon shade and the dappled shade of an understory setting. Until they outgrow their neighbors that is!

Plant Sweetgum in well-drained native soil with regular moisture throughout their first couple of years in the ground. Once established, however, Sweetgum can tolerate both moist soil and periodic drought, plus they have some salt, alkaline, and clay tolerance as long as it has good drainage. Add a 3-4 inch thick layer of mulch over the soil surface, spread out to the dripline (ends of the branches) but please avoid piling it up against the trunk.

Prune if needed when dormant to remove broken branches, but wait a bit later in the spring (when you see leaves forming) before trimming any live branches. Otherwise, similar to Maple trees, it will result in sticky sap dripping and oozing.

Upright, Stately Form & Strongest Limbs in Full Sun & Part Shade
Tolerates Moist Soils & Periodic Drought
Widely Adaptable to a Wide Range of Well-Drained Soil Conditions
Pruning Best Done In Spring
Pest Resistant, Salt & Clay Conditions

Perhaps best of all, American Sweetgum is easy to grow, and puts on height for shade quickly. Order yours from the Nature Hills native tree specialists today!

extremely adaptable

This is the most gorgeous tree. I have seen it potted for the front porch (stays small), seen it in pastures, seen it in 6 of snow as well as in the desert. As long as it has enough water, this tree just grows! And as for fall colors, breathtaking!

Dear California M.,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with the Sweetgum tree! We’re delighted to hear how adaptable and stunning this tree has been in a variety of environments—from porch pots to snowy pastures to deserts. It’s truly a fantastic choice, especially with its striking fall colors that make driving seasons extra special.

Your note about ample water being key is absolutely spot on. Sweetgums thrive best when given consistent moisture, especially in hotter or drier areas. For container planting, regular watering and occasional fertilizing can help maintain a compact, healthy tree that excels right on your porch.

If you’d like, we have some great resources on seasonal care and pruning tips for Sweetgum trees on our website. Please feel free to reach out anytime—we love helping green thumbs like you flourish.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Good!

I think that the Sweet Gum tree is a really awesome tree! It was somewhat easy to plant and looks really good in my yard!

Dear Turdburgler,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your Sweetgum tree! We’re delighted to hear that you found it both appealing and fairly easy to plant. Sweetgums truly are fantastic trees, known for their stunning autumn foliage and unique spiky seed pods, which can add wonderful texture to your yard.

As your Sweetgum continues to grow, make sure to water it regularly, especially during its first couple of years, and watch for signs of stress during dry spells. Mulching around the base can also help retain moisture and protect the roots. If you ever want tips on upgrading your tree care routine or expanding your garden with complementary plants, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Thank you again for choosing Nature Hills for your gardening journey. We’re thrilled to be part of your growing landscape.

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

Sweet Gum Tree

I enjoyed the article. There should have been pictures of the little balls also. This is the second year that my tree has produced them. I use them to decorate my front door. I think that my tree is beatuful!

Hi Saw,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and kind words about your Sweetgum tree! We're delighted to hear it’s thriving and that you enjoy using those distinctive sweetgum balls for decorating your front door—they really do add a unique and natural charm.

You’re right; pictures of the sweetgum seed pods would have been a great addition to our article. We appreciate the suggestion and will consider including them to better showcase the full beauty of this fascinating tree. If you’d like, we can also send you a link to a gallery with more images and care tips to help you continue enjoying your tree’s seasonal gifts.

Keep up the gorgeous work with your tree, and if you ever have questions about care, pruning, or attracting wildlife with your Sweetgum, we're always here to help!

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

Beautiful fall colors and green foliage in summer

Similar to a maple tree & creates shade in summer and beauty in the fall

Dear Cc,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your Sweetgum Tree! We’re delighted to hear how its vibrant fall colors and lush summer foliage are adding both beauty and shade to your space. The comparison to a maple is spot on—Sweetgums really do provide that striking fall display.

If you ever want tips on caring for your tree or ideas on companion plants to enhance its appeal, feel free to reach out. Sweetgums thrive best with deep watering during dry spells and well-drained soil, which helps keep that green canopy healthy all summer long.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Beautiful fall colors and green foliage in summer

Similar to a maple tree & creates shade in summer and beauty in the fall

Hi Cc,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your Sweetgum tree! We’re thrilled to hear that it’s providing both refreshing shade in the summer and those gorgeous fall colors you love. You’re absolutely right—the Sweetgum’s vibrant foliage can beautifully echo the look of a maple, while adding its own unique charm to your landscape.

If you’re looking for tips to keep your Sweetgum healthy and vibrant through the seasons, make sure it’s planted in well-drained soil with plenty of sunlight. Regular watering during dry periods and mulching around the base can help maintain moisture and improve overall growth. Also, pruning minor dead branches in late winter can promote better airflow and stunning appearance.

Should you have any more questions or want to explore opening your yard up to other complementing trees or shrubs, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help your garden thrive!

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

1 2 3

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150+	$24.99

Sweetgum Tree

Plant Sentry™