American Sweetgum plant profile
Liquidambar styraciflua
A perennial tree for full sun.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant American Sweetgum
Plant this tree while dormant, in fall or early spring. Extension guidance rates fall, after leaf drop, and early spring, before bud break, as the best windows; balled-and-burlapped or bare-root stock goes in during dormancy so roots establish before top growth resumes.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open American Sweetgum in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5 to 8
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Spacing
- 480 to 600 in apart
- Hardiness
- Zones 5a to 9bFind my hardiness zone
Common problems
Watch for these
Also watch for: spiny fruit litter, surface roots, bleeding necrosis, webworms.
Next steps
Continue with American Sweetgum
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Liquidambar styraciflua (American Sweetgum)
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (NC State Extension). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.
- Planting Trees Correctly (HGIC 1001)
Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center. Supports planting reference. Checked 2026-06-18.