Currently we have only one sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in the arboretum collection, and it is still very young. The sole specimen originated from a trip to East Texas in 2022. That fall, we collected a pocketful of gumballs from a wooded area in Cherokee County, Texas, close to the small town of Maydelle. Those gumballs were brought back to Shreveport
and shaken into a pot of dirt where the seeds overwintered. Three
seedlings came up the following spring. On
March 10, 2025, we planted one of the three on campus, outside of the arboretum proper: it's on the Fitness Center lawn, between the
Fitness Center ramp and the Cline Hall parking lot. Today, we have a hearty
young specimen that nicely displays the characteristics of the species. The following photos show the tree after three years of growth.
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| An old sign for a new tree. We like to recycle and re-use our materials in the arboretum. |
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| The 3-year-old tree is 21 inches tall with a straight and sturdy trunk. |
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| This one is planted *near* the parking lot but not next to the parking lot. Looking into the future, we see a towering tree with an excessive number of fruits that are falling on the *grass* rather than the cars and pavement. Nobody likes a "trash tree".... |
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| While this tree isn't quickly growing tall, it is forming a thick trunk. Have the interesting bark formations drawn your attention? |
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| Young sweetgum stems have irregular 'wings' or corky ridges, like our winged elm (Ulmus alata). The contrast between the green branches and the grey plates is distinctive. |
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| This little tree is ready for spring. |
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| Fresh green leaves unfurl in a bold salute to Spring. |
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| We see the characteristic sweetgum leaves in miniature. |
Now that it's well-established, will it show rapid and vigorous growth this year?
