Why isn't my sweetgum tree turning red?

The sweetgum tree (Liquidambar) is a beautiful tree, with large, deeply lobed leaves and graceful cork bands on its trunk and branches. In the fall, a sweetgum tree turns shades of yellow-orange to orange-red, red, and purple-red. Often, multiple colors appear on the same tree at the same time. Sweetgums may well have the most beautiful fall colors of all. Don’t you think? Unfortunately, the beautiful fall colors often fail to appear. We are therefore regularly asked how this can be. Why doesn’t a sweetgum always turn such beautiful colors?

Why don't the leaves of the sweetgum tree turn a beautiful red?

Many people plant a sweetgum tree specifically for its beautiful red fall color. Why doesn’t a sweetgum tree always turn such a beautiful color? There can be several reasons for this. It depends on the variety you have, the weather, and the conditions in your yard.

What are the conditions in your garden?

The conditions in your garden determine the extent to which a sweetgum tree changes color. The moister the soil, the more intense the fall colors will be. In moist soil, a sweetgum tree turns a deeper red, sometimes even purple. On dry (sandy) soil, you’ll often see little to no fall color. We therefore do not recommend planting a sweetgum tree in fairly dry soil.

Weather conditions also play a role

Many sweetgum species and cultivars change color late in the season. The color change usually begins at the top of the crown. If there is an early frost, the leaves may quickly turn brown and fall off without undergoing the characteristic color change. This is also why the color change isn’t equally beautiful every year.

What kind of sweetgum tree do you have?

There are various species and cultivars of sweetgum trees. The species itself (Liquidambar styraciflua) grows much too large for a small garden: up to 30 meters tall. This sweetgum tree also grows very wide.

For that reason, there are several cultivars available that remain much smaller or narrower. It is precisely these sweetgums that are often planted in our small gardens. Unfortunately, these sweetgums do not always have the most beautiful fall colors.

Liquidambar ‘Gum Ball’

Liquidambar ‘Gum Ball’ is a very popular sweetgum tree. You often see this tree along driveways, in front yards, and in smaller gardens. It is a rounded sweetgum tree with a very densely branched crown. Older specimens also develop attractive cork-like ridges. A globe-shaped sweetgum usually doesn’t grow much taller than about 4 meters. Perfect for a small garden.

The fall colors of Liquidambar ‘Gum Ball’ are often less vivid. They’re usually just yellow or yellow-orange, sometimes with a hint of red. This is because ‘Gum Ball’ doesn’t start changing color until late in the season. Moist soil can help bring out more color.

Liquidambar ‘Slender Silhouette’

Another sweetgum tree commonly found in small gardens is the columnar sweetgum, also known as Liquidambar ‘Slender Silhouette’. The branches of this tree grow almost straight up along the trunk. Although this sweetgum tree can eventually grow to over 10–12 meters tall, it remains narrow. It is usually less than 1 meter wide. Unfortunately, the characteristic corky band is less prominent on the ‘Slender Silhouette’ variety.

Liquidambar ‘Slender Silhouette’ shows almost no fall color, possibly because it appears too late in the season. Sometimes the leaves turn yellow, but often the fall color is completely absent.

Liquidambar ‘Golden Sun’

Liquidambar ‘Golden Sun’ is also a sweetgum tree that remains smaller (and, above all, narrower). Golden Sun has a conical growth habit, grows fairly slowly, and eventually reaches a height of about 5–8 meters, but only 2 meters wide. Its yellow-orange branches are particularly striking, especially after the leaves have fallen.

Unlike ‘Gum Ball’ and ‘Slender Silhouette,’ Liquidambar ‘Golden Sun’ does change color beautifully in the fall. The foliage of ‘Golden Sun’ turns orange, red, and purplish-red in the fall. The color change is most intense in moist soil.

Liquidambar ‘Worplesdon’

Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Worplesdon’ is one of the most beautiful sweetgums, with spectacular, deep red fall color. The foliage turns orange-red early on, progressing to red and purplish-red, especially in moist soil. This sweetgum tree also develops striking gray cork strips. Unfortunately, with a height of about 12–15 meters, Liquidambar ‘Worplesdon’ quickly becomes too large for most small gardens.

Which sweetgum tree has the most beautiful fall colors?

So the most beautiful sweetgum trees actually grow too large for smaller gardens: Liquidambar ‘Worplesdon’.

The best sweetgum tree for a small garden is Liquidambar ‘Golden Sun,’ which is the only dwarf sweetgum that develops reliable fall color. It thrives best in moist soil, of course.

Do you have a gardening question, too?

Feel free to ask us any questions you have about gardening. We're happy to help!

Visit "Ask Your Gardening Question" for more information and send us your question.