Liquidambar styraciflua 'SILVER KING'

Sweetgums are highly ornamental trees or shrubs which have been on top of the popularity list for centuries. These come from North America from where they spread to nearly whole world: from colder parts of temperate regions to southern countries where summer temperatures easily reach 40°C. Their give-away are star-shaped leaves which can easily be mistaken for maple leaves, and their autumn colours.

Silver King is another variegated form of sweetgum. Compared to Albomarginata Manon variety this one has slightly larger leaves with more attractive colour play. The leaves are 5-lobed, deep green in the centre grading to light pea-green, finished with conspicuous creamy white margins that get wider as the leaves mature. These margins gain pink colour as colder approach in late summer / early autumn. They turn yellow in the autumn whereas the margins remain white.

This variety grows slowly to medium fast into a widely pyramidal shape. Pruning is not necessary. However, if you wish to keep the tree smaller or cut to a shape do so at the end of winter before the buds burst out.

Sweet gums are soil tolerant but prefer semi-fertile, deep, and well-drained soil that should be slightly acidic to neutral and moist. Once established they can take both temporary flooding and drought. The location should be sunny as it does not tolerate shaded areas. If you buy a plant taller than say 1.5m stake it well for at least 2 years. Plants older than 3 years are fully hardy to -27°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 23-08-2009