Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens

Tree of the month series - this series of short articles about trees in the Belfast Botanic Gardens is compiled by members of the Friends group and Gardens staff. We aim to build up to a comprehensive archive of trees in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Each article illustrates a tree growing in Belfast Botanic Gardens together with information from a range of sources. Where possible we will give the tree tag number - these are the small aluminium discs, usually fixed on the tree trunk, 2 to 3m above ground level. Click here to view the tree archive

Jon Pilcher

A New World woodland tree found in the wild from New York to Nicaragua. It is an important timber tree second only to oak among hardwoods. It is usually planted in the UK for its decorative leaves and Autumn colour. The leaves are similar to a maple, but are attached alternately rather than opposite on the stems. They also have a sweet resinous smell when crushed. There are two specimens in Belfast Botanic Gardens, one beside the boundary path from the Stranmillis gate to the Palm House ( next to a Dawn Redwood), the other close to the bandstand, near the tree-of-heaven. Sweetgum will grow to 30m tall. Storax resin used in perfumes is derived from a western Asia species, Liquidambar orientalis.

Sweetgum in Belfast Botanic Gardens - November	Sweetgum in Belfast Botanic Gardens - autumn colour
Sweetgum leaf	Sweetgum bark

Photos taken in 2010 in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Copyright Jon Pilcher