Do you know sweetgum? It is an ornamental tree from America and introduced to Europe in 1681. Belonging to the Altingiaceae family, it is a large species, 25 to 40 meters high, deciduous, with palmate, lobed leaves, with a spiral arrangement on the branches. As for its flowers, they are small and produce a globular and dense inflorescence of 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter and pendulums 3 and 7 centimeters from the branch. For its part, the fruit is a woody capsule, multiple with numerous seeds.
Thanks to its easy cultivation, it is suitable even for beginning gardeners. It is resistant to cold and diseases, but it does not develop well in humid conditions and it does not support calcareous soils. Its leaves, with shades of scarlet, purple and ocher, are reminiscent of those of the maple. However, the colors of the leaves can vary depending on the varieties. Keep reading this Green Ecologist article to discover more details about the liquid amber.
How to plant sweetgum
If you have decided that you want to plant a sweetgum in your garden or field, the first thing to consider is how to plant it well so that it thrives and know all its basic care.
Thus, the ideal stage to plant the sweetgum is fall and it is preferable to do it in a soil with a neutral pH, cool and humid with a compact texture. Seedlings can be obtained from germinated seeds or by grafting. This species should be planted in sunny ground, leaving a space of 3 to 5 meters between each specimen. It is important to be careful not to break the root ball to preserve the roots well at the time of planting. In addition, when buying seedlings, it is advisable to opt for specimens that have grown in containers, since they have the advantage of presenting a better recovery than those that have grown in soil.
Sweetgum care
It is advisable to protect young plants with mulch during the winter. In addition, to be successful in the plantation, the watering the sweetgum It must be done continuously and regularly during the hot season, since the roots need a certain freshness to develop well, but it must be ensured that it does not become flooded, for which a well-drained soil is needed, otherwise the tree will perish. On the other hand, it is recommended prune sweetgum to remove dead or bad branches in autumn, so that it continues to grow healthier and stronger.
If you want to read more articles similar to Sweetgum, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
