If there is one tree that can lay claim to the title of champion of the autumn colour display it’s the Liquidambar. In Paarl several Liquidambars, also known as the American Sweetgum, have been planted in the parking area of the municipal offices on the corner of the Boulevard and Market Street. Somebody had the inspired idea to plant various tree species excelling in autumn colours in the grounds of the civic centre. The result is a festival of colour every year in late autumn and early winter, which never fails to gladden the heart of any tree-loving passerby.
Even in this exalted company the Liquidambar reigns supreme when its shiny green summer leaves turn brilliant yellow and orange, then vibrant red, followed by maroon, and finally purple before dropping.
The Liquidambar hails from the south-eastern part of North America, with smaller populations in Mexico and the central American countries. It is one of the most common hardwoods in the south-eastern states of the US, where it grows naturally in lowland areas. It has also become a popular ornamental tree in Australia. In its native range Liquidambar (or Sweetgum, as it is called there) is an important commercial hardwood. Its wood is heavy, bright reddish brown in colour, and fine-grained. It is not durable enough for outdoor use, but can be used for furniture and interior trim. It is also used extensively by veneer and plywood manufacturers.
Besides its beautiful autumn colours, the tree has another important feature, namely its ability to exude a viscous resin (“gum”) from its bark when wounded. Other tree species, notably the Eucalyptus, will also do this, but the gum of the Sweetgum has a pleasant, sweetish smell like Ambergris. This is what prompted no less a personage than Carl Linnaeus, the father of botanical plant names, to give the name Liquidambar to the genus.
The Sweetgum is a medium-sized to large tree, slow-growing (the first fruits only appear at age 15-20 years) and long-lived. It starts out as a slender, upright tree, but with age it becomes more spreading. Under favourable conditions it can reach a height of 20 m in cultivation. Male and female flowers are separate, but borne on the same tree. Pollinated female flowers develop into an interesting fruit — a hard, spherical, spiky ball suspended on a thin stalk. Each such “gumball” is actually dozens of seed capsules fused together.
As the balls ripen they dry out and turn from green to brown. At the same time holes appear, from which winged seeds, 6-8 mm long, are released. Each fruit can produce between 30 and 50 seeds. Dispersal of the seed is by wind or by birds and animals. Surprising as it may sound, the tiny seeds contain enough food to make them attractive to animals.
The liquidambar, however, is not everyone’s cup of tea. To begin with, it has the potential to become a substantial tree, so you have to be sure your property is large enough for it. It grows best on moist, slightly acidic, loam or clay soil, and it is not happy in shady positions. The gumballs, when dry, have hard, fairly sharp spikes. To walk across a yard littered with dry gumballs, which the tree has dropped after releasing the seeds, is like negotiating a minefield. Fortunately it only happens once a year for a short period, but during that time the area is out of bounds for bare feet, especially small ones.
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