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Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto'

Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto'

Palo Alto Sweetgum

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Description

Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Palo Alto’ (Palo Alto sweet gum) is an American selection found in 1954 by George Hood and Maunsell van Rensselaer from the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in California, USA, where it is very popular as a street and avenue tree. The selection attains a height of between ten and fifteen metres and has a regularly pyramidal crown form up to twelve metres wide. In addition to its regular crown structure, cultivar ‘Palo Alto’ was selected because of the abundance of corky fissures which are present even on young shoots and, of course, the spectacular autumn colour. 

At the end of April or early May Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Palo Alto’ bears unremarkable yellow-green flower spikes. After flowering - in comparison with other selections - this sweet gum bears little fruit. In spring the palmate leaf emerges red-brown and changes colour to dark green and in autumn the tree surprises with a fantastic display of yellow-orange to bright orange-red foliage. In winter the densely branched crown is clearly recognisable as is the distinctive rough trunk, reinforced by the obvious corky fissures present on the twigs and branches.

Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Palo Alto’ is tolerant of paved areas and is, therefore, an excellent street and avenue tree. Despite the fairly warm climate of the location where the selection was found in the USA the tree is hardy. Less tolerant of wind, an exposed site may lead to breaking branches. So, plant Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Palo Alto’ in a bright, sheltered location on moist, nutrient-rich soil for best growth and autumn colour.

Types of planting

Tree types

standard trees shade trees

Use

Location

street avenue square car park / parking lot park central reservation large garden cemetery

Pavement

none none open open sealed sealed

Characteristics

Crown shape

wide egg-shaped wide egg-shaped pyramidal pyramidal

Crown structure

dense dense

Height

10 - 15 m

Width

8 - 12 m

Winter hardiness zone

5B - 10B

Aspects

Wind

slightly tolerant to wind

Soil

loess sabulous clay peaty light clay sand loamy soil

Nutrient level

moderately rich in nutrients rich in nutrients

Soil moisture level

moist wet

Light requirements

sun

pH range

acidic neutral

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Photos

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high-stem standard tree
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' standard tree
high-stem standard tree
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' standard tree
high-stem standard tree
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' standard tree
high-stem standard tree
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' standard tree
high-stem standard tree
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' standard tree
fruits fruits
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' fruits
fruits fruits
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' fruits
fruits fruits
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' fruits
bark bark
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' bark
bark bark
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' bark
bark bark
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' bark
bark bark
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' bark
twigs twigs
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' twigs
twigs twigs
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' twigs
twigs twigs
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' twigs
twigs twigs
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' twigs
twigs twigs
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' twigs
twigs twigs
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' twigs
twigs twigs
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Palo Alto' twigs

Flowers

Flowers

spikes discrete

Flower colour

yellow-green

Flowering period

April - May

Leaves

Leaf colour

buds orange-red green dark green

Leaves

deciduous palmate dissected serrate lobate

Autumn colour

yellow-orange orange-red dark red

Fruits

Fruit colour

brown

Fruits

rarely fruits few fruits small capsule spiny nut

Bark

Bark colour

grey

Bark

furrowed corky

Twigs

Twig colour

red-brown

Twigs

corky

Root system

Root system

deep extensive fleshy roots central root

For and by green professionals

The TreeEbb is a platform for and by green professionals, in which we collect knowledge and experience from the sector and make this available for users. All the details and photos are free to use for non-commercial purposes. Want to share your tree knowledge? Send photographs and additional information to treeebb@ebben.nl

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Winter hardiness zone
OK
Coastal area
OK
Use
Location
OK
Pavement
OK
Host plant/forage plant
OK
Planting concepts
OK
Types of planting
Tree types
OK
Multi-stemmed trees
OK
Crown structure
OK
Crown shape
OK
Topiary on stem
OK
Topiary
OK
Height
m
-
m
OK
Width
m
-
m
OK
Aspects
Wind
OK
Soil
OK
Nutrient level
OK
Soil moisture level
OK
Light requirements
OK
PH range
OK
Extreme environments
OK
Stage of succession
OK
Plant characteristics
Flowering period
January
-
December
OK
Flower colour
OK
Leaf colour
OK
Autumn colour
OK
Fruit colour
OK
Bark colour
OK
Special features
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Winter hardiness

A plant's winter hardiness is the coldest area in which it is frost-resistant. This is based on the average annual minimum temperature. Winter hardiness zones are thirteen different frost zones in steps of 5.5 degrees Celsius. This format is an international standard for the hardiness of plants. The zones in which the plant is frost-resistant are always included in the description of trees and other vegetation.

Winter hardiness is a genetic characteristic and is not influenced by the location in which the plant is cultivated. This means that a plant that has been cultivated for many years in winter-hardiness zone 6 but has a winter hardiness of 3 is perfectly suited for replanting in a colder zone. It will thrive there thanks to its genetic characteristics.

When choosing planting for a project, the winter hardiness of the plants is extremely important. By choosing species that match the zone in which the project is being created, it is possible to ensure that plants can withstand the minimum temperature in that area.

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