16/05/2023
Make it a great day
The Sweetgum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua, is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree that is most often found in bottomland areas of the forest - like the wet-to-swampy parts of the Eco-Walk Trail. The fragrant, star-shaped leaves, seen in this photo growing on suckers from the base of the tree, turn bright red and gold in the fall. Also in autumn, burr-like seed pods hang on a long stalk. They open to release tiny winged seeds which are eaten by birds. (They will also stick to sweaters if you throw them at your siblings, but be warned that you can get in a heap of trouble if you do that.)
The bark of the Sweetgum characteristically is banded horizontally in shades of gray.
Native Americans and early settlers enjoyed the sap as chewing gum, but that is not how the tree got its name. The sap is actually bitter. It's called Sweetgum to differentiate it from another totally unrelated species, Black gum, Nysa sylvatica, which is even more sour and bitter. This tree is "sweet" by comparison.
You can visit this exact tree any day of the year, 8 a.m. to sunset, on the Eco-Walk Trail. If you want to make sure others are on this trail while you're there, make plans now to hike the 2.2 mile loop Saturday, June 3 on National Trails Day! ~Heather
