Albion Trees

Liquidambar styraciflua L. – Altingiaceae – sweetgum family

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Sweetgum is a relatively uncommon street tree in Albion.  It is native to the eastern U.S., but south of our area.  Most people consider it a messy tree because it drops brown spiky fruits, which botanists call ‘multiples of capsules’ and everyone else calls ‘gumballs.’

Sweetgum has irregularly corky twigs and is especially easy to identify in our area by its star-shaped leaves and gumballs.