Liquidambar acalycina

Liquidambar acalycina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Saxifragales
Family:	Altingiaceae
Genus:	Liquidambar
Species:	L. acalycina
Binomial name
Liquidambar acalycina [1][2]

Liquidambar acalycina, Chang’s sweet gum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Altingiaceae (formerly Hamameliaceae), native to southern China. Growing to 30–50 ft (9.1–15.2 m) tall by 20–30 ft (6.1–9.1 m) broad, It is a medium-sized deciduous tree with three-lobed maple-like leaves that turn red in autumn before dropping. It is monoecious, meaning that both male and female flowers appear on the same plant. The flowers are insignificant, yellow/green in colour, and are followed by small gum-balls that persist on the tree until winter. The wood exudes a sweet-smelling resin when pierced, giving the tree its common name.^[3]

Liquidambar acalycina is cultivated as an attractive ornamental tree for parks and gardens, and is hardy down to −15 °C (5 °F) or less. It requires cultivation in reliably moist, acid to neutral soil in full sun or partial shade. The cultivar ‘Burgundy Flush’, with leaves opening purple, then green, then burgundy red in autumn, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.^[4][5]

Characteristics[]

Liquidambar acalycina is a deciduous tree that has a brown to black colored bark with a conical/pyramidal shape. It matures quickly to be of a medium height ranging at 10m in height, and 6m width.^[6] The leaves have three lobes which make the tree similar to a Maple. However, they are more star shaped than maple leaves.^[7] The leaves emerge with a burgundy color in spring but as they grow and mature in summer, they become green which indicates their increasing ability to photosynthesize.^[8] When nearing fall the colors turn back into a red to purple color.^[9] During the months of April to May, monoecious flowers begin to bud with yellow-green colors, but are insignificant for pollination in attracting pollinators. The fruit of this tree is a dark brown black color. This tree serves as a shade tree for gardens.^[10] This Sweetgum Tree prefers soil that is acidic, clay-based, and sunlight.^[11]

Distribution[]

This tree is native to East Asia, specifically in Southeast China.^[12] Other species can be found in Southern China and the United States of America.^[13]

Disease and Infestation[]

This tree is generally stable in the specific climates in which it exists. However, some insects can infest the tree, such as webworms, bagworms, caterpillars, leaf miners, and borers.^[14] Other issues that some trees experience in this species are canker and bleeding necrosis, and can become extreme. If the plant is growing in alkaline soils, the trees may experience iron chlorosis. Other issues include dark spots on leaves, and wood rot.^[15]

References[]