Liquidambar formosana Seeds | Formosan Sweet Gum
LATIN NAME: Liquidambar formosana
COMMON NAME: Formosan Sweet Gum
Plant Profile
Liquidambar formosana, commonly known as Formosan Sweet Gum, is a tree. The Formosan sweet gum is a fine, tall, autumn-coloured tree of warm east, and it is grown for its bold, star-shaped leaves and its brilliant autumn colour. Handsome tree carries glossy, five-pointed, star-shaped leaves, which turn rich shades of red, orange and yellow in autumn, and spiky, round, woody fruit-balls hang through the winter. Fragrant resin of tree has a long history of use in the east. Its flowers draw a steady traffic of bees and other beneficial insects. Each of these traits is modest on its own; together they make a garden-worthy plant.
Science & Biotechnology
Botanists studying the Liquidambar group regularly include Liquidambar formosana in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. The Formosan sweet gum has a steady place in plant science, and it has been studied for its bold, star-shaped leaves, its brilliant autumn colour and its fragrant resin. For practical purposes the message is encouraging: generations of cultivation have produced plants of predictable, well-mannered garden character.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Formosan Sweet Gum has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. The Formosan sweet gum is grown for autumn colour, and bold, star-shaped leaves turn rich shades of red, orange and yellow, making it one of great autumn trees for warm garden and the park. Fragrant resin of bark has a long history of use in east, and spiky, woody fruit-balls are a fine, curious feature of winter crown. The Formosan sweet gum comes from warm forests of eastern continent, and it has been grown for bold, star-shaped leaves, brilliant autumn colour and fragrant resin. Once it has settled, the workload drops to almost nothing.
Sweetgum resin, Lu Lu Tong and storax, is a classical Chinese resin for moving blood and easing pain, and the American sweetgum’s balsam perfumed early chewing gums; the autumn color is among the finest of all trees.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Formosan Sweet Gum, and the process is uncomplicated. Sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly into a loose, well-drained seed compost, water in gently, and keep the sowing in bright light with steady moisture. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Formosan Sweet Gum earns its space through character rather than fuss. Even moisture while the seed is chitting is the main thing; afterwards it largely looks after itself.
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