my little sweet gum

[BillyBonesBonsai]

I got 33 of these little guys for only R100 I decided to put a little one in a pot and see what happens I'm also going to some landscape I reckon

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

It's like $14

 

[Cypress187]

Can you eat those?

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

I don't know, why would you want too? Cause its sweet

 

[jk_lewis]

Are you certain this is sweetgum (Liquidambar)? The two common species in commerce (American and Oriental sweetgum) have leaves that are vastly different than these -- which look EXACTLY like Acer rubrum (Though how any of the sweetgum or the American red maple would get to S. Africa, I don't know).

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

I'm not sure hey, I'm no expert, what is Acer rubrum? Is that a maple?

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

Are you certain this is sweetgum (Liquidambar)? The two common species in commerce (American and Oriental sweetgum) have leaves that are vastly different than these -- which look EXACTLY like Acer rubrum (Though how any of the sweetgum or the American red maple would get to S. Africa, I don't know).

You are right it looks just like Acer rubrum I would still be happy hahaah

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

It's just what they said at the nursery, they did lable the white oaks wrong as well.

 

[Gaitano]

I have a sweet gum in my backyard and it gets suckers on the roots all year long. This is consistent with the first few leaves of a sweet gum. As the next few sets of leaves emerge and get larger you will find that they will look more like the typical sweet gum 5 lobed leaves.

 

[Stickroot]

I have a sweet gum in my backyard and it gets suckers on the roots all year long. This is consistent with the first few leaves of a sweet gum. As the next few sets of leaves emerge and get larger you will find that they will look more like the typical sweet gum 5 lobed leaves.

Def a Sweetgum seedling, I have a bunch same size little bigger maybe, and up to 6' BnB.

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

What I have found on the net is that a sweetgum has no serrated edges where the red maple has

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

On the leaf that is

 

[Stickroot]

What I have found on the net is that a sweetgum has no serrated edges where the red maple has

Well things could be different around the world, but here are Sweet gum seedling leaves.And these are on one that is 12 years old.Serrated. So until your Red Maple gets Gumballs on it, it will be a question.

 

[jk_lewis]

Sweetgum have 5-lobed leaves. Acer rubrum 3 lobes.

 

[BillyBonesBonsai]

So what's the final verdict

 

[jk_lewis]

Sweetgum leaf -- from a full size tree and from one of my bonsai.

 

[barrosinc]

I have a friend that has a liquidambar, leave reduction confuses me and I mistake them with three lobed leaved trees. But this looks like liquidambar to me.

 

[Gaitano]

Look at the bottom juvenile leaf in Stickroot's pic. this looks just like the first leaf posted by Billy. They have 5 lobes, the 4th and 5th are just not fully developed and easily distinguishable. In the second set of leaves, the 4th and 5th pop out. As the leaves get bigger, the lobes elongate. Sweetgum.

 

[sorce]

"Sweetgum" does "sell" easier than "red maple".

But Gaitano is in MO too, and quite confident.

In not sold one way or the other.

I know for certain trees play these tricks with young leaves.

Continue Saga!

Sorce

 

[barrosinc]

Let me find some pics of my friends liquidambar... I swear leave look just like it! So much I confused it for a trident at the beggining of the season.