By Eden Project
Eden Project
Sweet gum, Outdoor Gardens (2020) by Eden ProjectEden Project
The leaves of the sweet gum have 5–7 lobes, and turn vibrantly red in autumn.
Sweet gum, Outdoor Gardens (2020) by Eden ProjectEden Project
The timber is valued for its close grain and red tinge, and is used for veneer and furniture.
Sweet gum, Outdoor Gardens (2020) by Eden ProjectEden Project
A resin called storax is extracted from the trunk of the sweet gum and is used in incense and perfume.
Sweet gum, Outdoor Gardens (2020) by Eden ProjectEden Project
The sweet gum grows in central and eastern North America, and Central America, in moist-to-wet woods, tidal swamps, swampy bottomlands, streambanks, clearings and old fields, and mesic upland forests and forest edges. It grows best on the rich, moist soils of river bottomlands.
Watch the video to see the spectacular sweep of sweet gum trees growing in the Eden Project's Outdoor Gardens.
