Commonly known as the Sweet Gum Tree, American Sweetgum, or simply Liquidambar, this stunning deciduous tree is famed for its vibrant autumn colour and deeply lobed, maple-like leaves. In pleached form, the Liquidambar styraciflua offers structured height and seasonal beauty, perfect for creating elegant screens, formal garden divisions, or living privacy panels with exceptional colour impact.
At Tree Heritage Nursery, our Pleached Liquidambar Trees are expertly trained and available in a variety of head sizes and clear stem heights, ready to bring structure and spectacle to your landscape.
Growing Conditions
Liquidambar thrives in moist but well-drained soils, particularly those that are loamy, fertile, and slightly acidic. It prefers a sunny or lightly shaded spot and benefits from a sheltered position in colder or exposed areas. Once established, it is drought-tolerant and suitable for a wide range of garden settings.
Where to Position It
Ideal for formal borders, screening above fences, or sectioning garden spaces, Pleached Liquidambar is well-suited to avenue planting, urban courtyards, and contemporary garden schemes. Its vibrant autumn colour and neatly clipped framework make it both practical and ornamental.
Foliage, Flowers & Fruit
Liquidambar displays star-shaped, deeply lobed leaves that emerge fresh green in spring and transition to fiery shades of crimson, orange, purple, and gold in autumn. Though the tree produces small yellow-green flowers in spring, they are not particularly showy. These are followed by spiky, ball-shaped seed pods, which hang on the tree into winter, adding texture and seasonal interest.
Size & Growth
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Ultimate Height: 4–6 metres (with regular pruning)
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Ultimate Spread: Maintained to head dimensions with clipping
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Time to Ultimate Size: 10–15 years
Delivery — By Our Own Team
Standard and pleached trees are too tall for courier pallets, so our own team delivers them:
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£55 — within 18.6 miles (30 km) of our Hertford nursery
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£105 — 18.6–46.6 miles (30–75 km)
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£250 — 46.6–205 miles (75–330 km)
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£400 — 205–329 miles (330–530 km)
Oversized trees are delivered within a 4-week window and we’ll agree the date with you. Scotland or beyond 329 miles: please contact us for a quote before ordering. Select your distance band at checkout — we confirm by postcode before dispatch.
Plant Now or Reserve for Autumn
We deliver all year round — our container-grown stock can be planted in any season (summer planting just needs committed watering). Prefer to plant in autumn, when establishment is easiest? Order now and add a note at checkout — we’ll reserve your plants and deliver when you’re ready.
Planting & Aftercare
Every order includes our planting and establishment notes. The single biggest factor in success is water: new plants need generous, regular watering through their first two growing seasons. Follow the guide and your plants will establish strongly — and we’re on the end of the phone if you need us.
Why Tree Heritage
We’re a working nursery in Hertfordshire, not a reseller. Every plant is selected, grown on and quality-checked by our own team before it leaves the nursery.
