Description
Are you also looking for a tree that adds vertical interest to your compact garden space? Meet the Slender Silhouette Sweetgum tree. With a narrow and vertical profile, star-shaped leaves, a brilliant autumn-fall palette, and easy-to-care traits, it has become one of the top picks among gardeners.
These versatile columnar plants are used for a variety of garden purposes. From lining pathways, hedging natural screens, and fencing border walls to symmetrical plantings for courtyard and parkways and, uplifting the petite garden spaces, it’s truly a nature’s tower of grace.
Take a tour of this guide to explore everything you need to know about its botanical roots, ideal growing conditions, and potential challenges.
Captivating Features & Benefits of the Liquidambar Styraciflua Slender Silhouette
With an impressive silhouette and comparatively low maintenance, it is a great addition for space-efficient gardening. Apart from being a visually appealing columnar, it holds several other benefits as well.
Let’s take a closer look at the notable features and benefits of these trees.
- Features glossy star-shaped leaves that change their hues to red, orangish yellow during autumn and fall.
- Adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions and are easy to look after.
- Like the American Sweetgum tree, these trees also produce spike seedballs, but in lower numbers.
- It has benefits in the creation of natural privacy screens.
- They also contribute to the ecosystem by attracting native bees, wasps, beetles, and flies. These are also a source of food supply for various birds.
- These plants also purify the air by absorbing pollutants and exhaling oxygen.
| Did You Know?
Sweetgums are a larval host to the Luna Moth and the Promethea Silkmoth. |
This conical tree is a cultivar of the American Sweetgum tree with similar erect and columnar forms, ideal for small gardens and medians.
Botanical Identity of the Sweetgum Slender Silhouette
To appreciate the indigenous charm of the tree, here is a brief botanical overview of the specimen.
| Taxonomic Overview Of the Silhouette Sweetgum | |
| Native | Eastern North America, and tropical regions of Mexico and Central America. |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Clade | Tracheophytes |
| Clade | Angiosperms |
| Order | Saxifragales |
| Family | Hamamelidaceae |
| Genus | Liquidambar |
| Botanical Name | Liquidambar Styraciflua |
| Species | L. styraciflua |
It was initially found by a nurseryman, Don Shadow, who discovered it growing by the railroad tracks. The plant has been named Slender Silhouette Sweetgums because of its slender nature and silhouette.
How to Grow and Care For Slender Silhouette Sweetgum
Since these trees are low-maintenance and easily grown, it is ideal to learn about their growing and caring needs before you make a purchase.
| Optimal Growing Conditions Needed for the Liquidambar Styraciflua | |
| Hardiness Zone | 5 – 9 USDA |
| Sunlight Exposure | Exposure to full sunlight is required |
| Water Requirement | Water deeply during the establishment phase. A fully-grown tree doesn’t require much watering. |
| Soil Type | Well-drained moist soil, slightly acidic to neutral with a pH value of 6.0 – 7.0 |
| Fertiliser | Nourish the plant with balanced fertilisers during the early spring. |
| Pruning | Prune the plant in early spring or late winter. Removing deadheads and branches is essential. |
| Growth Rate | Moderate to fast |
| Bloom Time | Non-showy flowers in the spring. |
| Mature Size | 60-65 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide. |
| Spacing | 4-8 feet apart |
These trees are pest and disease-resistant. But you should look out for fungal leaf spots and root rot. You can overcome these minor issues with organic treatments and synthetic fungicides.
Potential Challenges with Silhouette Sweetgums
Besides their visual appeal in your landscapes, these trees are linked with certain offsets and drawbacks, too. Let’s take a closer look at the challenges.
- Susceptible to falling off in heavy snow and powerful gusts.
- The roots are not deeply anchored and shallow.
- They produce spikey seedballs, which can be annoying.
- These plants are difficult to transplant and hold on to their leaves a bit too long, inviting dangers from the snow.
With a little bit of monitoring and planning, you can overcome these challenges and enjoy the stunning beauty.
User Reviews & Ratings
Review: Added these conical sweetgum slenders to my garden and cannot be more mesmerized.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: It’s autumn already, and the leaves of my plant have begun to change their colours. I am stunned to see such a beautiful contrast.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: Spotted these slender sweetgums outside my house, and I cannot stop gazing at them.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: I am planning to plant a Slender Silhouette in my front lawn and looking forward to it growing abundantly.
Ratings:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Do Slender Sweetgum trees bear fruit?
Yes. These trees bear small, rounded fruits that are brown and full of spikes.
Are the fruits of Slender Silhouette edible?
The fruit is not considered palatable for human consumption.
What is the problem with Slender Sweetgums?
The roots of these plants are considered to be shallow and aggressive.
Is Slender Silhouette Sweetgum the same as American Sweetgum?
No, these are not the same. Slender Silhouette is a cultivar of American Sweetgum.
