Sweetgum
Mature Height: 60'-75'
Mature Width: 40'-50'
Sunlight: Full Sun
Growth Rate: Medium, Fast
Shape: Oval
Fall Foliage: Yellow, Orange, Red
Scientific Name: Liquidambar styraciflua
Sweetgum is a large, medium to fast-growing shade tree with unique star-shaped leaves. It has small one-and-a-half-inch ball-shaped seed pods that are enjoyed by many birds. This tree is also a vital host plant for many native moth species, including the luna moth!
ATTRACTS:
Cecropia moth
Io moth
Luna moth
Eastern towhee
American goldfinch
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
***Luna moths overwinter in a cocoon wrapped in leaf litter on the ground***
Leave fallen leaves alone or blow them to the side to ensure they emerge next season.
Luna moth cocoon
Fallen leaves
Luna moths
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Photo Credit
"Copalme d'Amérique ou Liquidambar, Liquidambar styraciflua, Altingiacées" by olive.titus is marked with CC PDM 1.0
"Liquidambar styraciflua" by briweldon is licensed under CC BY 2.0
"Leaves and fruit of Liquidambar styraciflua" by Joel Abroad is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
"Feuilles et fleurs en capitule sphérique, Copalme d'Amérique, Liquidambar styraciflua, Hamamélidacées" by olive.titus is marked with CC PDM 1.0
"Io Moth - Automeris io, Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge, Laurel, Maryland" by Judy Gallagher is licensed under CC BY 2.0
"# 7758 – Actias luna – Luna Moth (No. 60 on presentation list)" by Wildreturn is licensed under CC BY 2.0
"Cecropia Moth. Freshly Emerged - Drying Wings" by Buckobeck is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
"Eastern Towhee" by this is for the birds is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
"American Goldfinch" by Kinchan1 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
"Yellow-bellied Sapsucker" by btrentler is licensed under CC BY 2.0
"Dua-Luna" by Mean and Pinchy is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
"Fallen leaf 2" by Nam2@7676 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
"Luna Moth Cocoon2" by wanderingnome is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0