Liquidambar styraciflua Oakville Highlight - American Sweetgum

The Liquidambar styraciflua 'Oakville Highlight' is a variety of Australian American Sweetgum that distinguishes itself from the species by its narrow, fastigiate to columnar habit and its highly intense autumn colours of yellow, orange, and red-purple on its large lobed foliage. It is also interesting for its good resistance to occasional drought. It is planted in non-calcareous soil, in full sun, and due to its shape, it is ideal for hedges or as a privacy screen.

The American Sweetgum is a tree belonging to the Altingiaceae family, with the genus Liquidambar being the only representative. This majestic tree is native to North America, specifically from the banks of large rivers such as the Mississippi and the Ohio, for example. Its name, Liquidambar, comes from the Latin word "liquidus", meaning liquid, and the Arabic word "ambar", which means amber, due to the aromatic oleoresin of amber colour that flows from its bark. Discovered in 1528, it was introduced to Europe in 1681.

The 'Oakville Highlight' cultivar reaches 7 m and up to 10 m in height at 10 years old, with a spread of 4 m. Over time, it develops a very vertical trunk, topped by a fairly open crown with a fastigiate to columnar habit. The deciduous foliage is the main asset of this tree. It consists of palmate leaves, 10 to 18 cm long, divided into 5 to 9 finely toothed triangular lobes, arranged alternately on the branches. Dark green in colour, they turn flamboyant colours in autumn. The inconspicuous flowering occurs in April on specimens aged 25 years and older, in the form of upright male catkins separate from the female flowers, in the form of pendant globose clusters measuring 2 to 3 cm in diameter. After pollination, pom-pom-like fruits similar to those of the plane tree are formed. Each fruit is composed of several capsules that contain small winged seeds, similar to maple samaras. The bark of the liquidambar is dark brown, with corky cracks. The lifespan of this beautiful tree is approximately 150 years.

The 'Oakville Highlight' liquidambar is perfectly hardy. This tree requires non-calcareous soil, deep and moist but not waterlogged, and a sunny exposure. However, this Australian cultivar tolerates occasional drought. It is similar to 'Slender Silhouette', another narrow habit variety, but develops more intense autumn colours. Once established, it requires no maintenance. It can be planted as a solitary tree on a large lawn or in rows along a grand avenue or property boundary. The Liquidambar styraciflua is commonly found in parks, where it stands out with its superb autumn colours. You can associate it with other colourful trees or shrubs such as the Ginkgo Biloba, Corylopsis, Nyssa sylvatica, hazelnut trees, and large Japanese maples, as well as Hamamelis, which thrive in the same cool environments and deep soils.

Properties:

The aromatic resin exuded by the bark is also called styrax or liquidambar balm. It was once used in aromatherapy, primarily by indigenous populations, and later, upon its arrival in Europe, by cosmetic manufacturers who incorporated it into various preparations such as milks or beauty creams. The wood of the liquidambar, with its reddish-brown colour and renowned smell and mechanical qualities, was widely used in cabinetmaking for the production of fine furniture.