American sweetgum (botanical name liquidambar styraciflua) is a deciduous tree of the liquidambar genus native to the warm climates of eastern North America and the tropical mountainous regions of Mexico and Central America.
Also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum, it is a medium to large tree, growing 15 to 45 m tall in the wild with stem up to 60-90 cm thick.
The leaves are star-shaped, dark green, smooth and glossy. They generally turn bright yellow, orange, red, and purple in the fall.
The pentacle leaves resemble maple (Acer spp.) leaves, but are shiny and leathery and grow alternately (not in pairs) on the stem.
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