Paraic’s Plant Of The Month: October 2020

The October plant of the month is the liquidamber styraciflua tree. It is is commonly known as the red-gum or american sweetgum tree. It is a medium - large deciduous tree grown for its alternate, maple-like leaves. Throughout autumn, the leaves take on a brilliant and long-lasting autumn colour; hence the name red gum tree. The leaves boast a variety of colours when shedding, red, brown, yellow and purple. Hence, it is a lovely addition to any garden.

The liquidamber tree is native to countries with warm temperatures. It is commonly associated with areas of North America and tropical regions of Mexico and Central America. However, it is still very suited to Ireland and loves to grow in the Irish climate. 

    Liquidamber Styraciflua

    How To Plant The Liquidamber Tree:

    • Half-fill a planting hole with compost.
    • Plant the liquidamber down into the ground until you can just see the original soil on top.
    • Fill the remainder of the hole with compost.
    • Ensure it's well watered to encourage growth.

    How To Care For The Liquidamber Tree:

    • The liquidamber is a hardy tree that is easy to grow.
    • It can be pruned to shape. 
    liquidamber

    This easy to grow garden tree is suitable for all gardens and most locations. It can be pruned to shape or grown as a bushy shrub or standard tree. In spring, its small flowers are loved by honey bees. Its flowers are rich in nectar and sometimes the flowers keep blooming until early autumn.

    Have you got a gardening question on your mind? Just contact your local store where one of our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.