Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Has anybody ever seen or known of anybody who has attempted to grow a sweet gum tree or any associated cultivar of the American Sweet Gum Tree in Minnesota, specifically in Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota?
Lord have mercy, why would you want one of those? They hurt when you step on them and clog up the leaf vacuum. Wish I could send you mine. It's like 50 feet tall and so fat I cannot put my arms around it. That's a lot of gum balls!
Has anybody ever seen or known of anybody who has attempted to grow a sweet gum tree or any associated cultivar of the American Sweet Gum Tree in Minnesota, specifically in Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota?
Yes, I've seen many here in Delaware. They grow wild here and many times in ditches bordering farms. They are not a preferred tree in this area.
OMG why would anybody want one of those ugly badass trees. We can't get rid of them fast enough in the south. I broke my ankle on a sweet gum ball. Never knew of anybody who actually TRIED to grow one.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,701 posts, read 81,510,683 times
Reputation: 57964
The sweet gum (Liquidambar) is a beautiful tree, with great fall color. I have planted at least one at every home I have owned. At this house, just one, about 12' tall. You simply have to keep them under control and avoid planting near a path or lawn. They also grow a lot slower in northern climates, and have much better fall color than in the south. Since they are hardy to zone 5, and you are likely in zone 4 it's borderline, but they are fairly cheap so I would give it a shot. Just protect it some with mulch the first few years until the roots get established.
If you have one or two as accent trees - they seem to do well almost every where. Beware of their offspring! They will get invasive if you do not keep them under control.
"They also grow a lot slower in northern climates, and have much better fall color than in the south." Hemlock 140, how would you know whether the Sweet Gum has superior fall color in the North Versus the Southern U.S., have you actually taken note of this or are you what prejudiced rebel southerners old timers would call a yank? I myself would think that since they are hardier and are actually Native to almost the entire Southern U.S., that there would be no discernible difference in fall color or that those in the South have better fall color than those in the North. But I cannot say because I have never seen a sweet gum's fall color in the South. By the Way, I don't live in Minneapolis or in Minnesota, I was just wondering whether anybody on here knows of anybody who was a risk taker gardener who lived in the Twin Cities area who has dared to grow well out of zone plants or trees like the Sweet gum tree. Minneapolis is a Zone 4b according to the 2012 USDA hardiness zone map, with flecks of Zone 5a in isolated spots of the metro area, so I presume that when people find this out they might go ahead and plant a Sweet gum tree in Minneapolis, since well experienced gardeners can often stretch or push a zone by a half a zone or more.
"They also grow a lot slower in northern climates, and have much better fall color than in the south." Hemlock 140, how would you know whether the Sweet Gum has superior fall color in the North Versus the Southern U.S., have you actually taken note of this or are you what prejudiced rebel southerners old timers would call a yank? I myself would think that since they are hardier and are actually Native to almost the entire Southern U.S., that there would be no discernible difference in fall color or that those in the South have better fall color than those in the North. But I cannot say because I have never seen a sweet gum's fall color in the South. By the Way, I don't live in Minneapolis or in Minnesota, I was just wondering whether anybody on here knows of anybody who was a risk taker gardener who lived in the Twin Cities area who has dared to grow well out of zone plants or trees like the Sweet gum tree. Minneapolis is a Zone 4b according to the 2012 USDA hardiness zone map, with flecks of Zone 5a in isolated spots of the metro area, so I presume that when people find this out they might go ahead and plant a Sweet gum tree in Minneapolis, since well experienced gardeners can often stretch or push a zone by a half a zone or more.
I loved your reasoning and that explains a little about the original question.
I wouldn't expend the effort to grow even the hardiest version in the twin cities area if I lived there. That's too much work for something iffy to begin with when there are beautiful native trees to try instead. There are several of the "cold hardy" varieties of the tree that have been grown by people with experience as arborists and tree nurseries as far north as zone 5 areas in Ohio and very southern Wisconsin but that is about the extent of documented survivability. I would think the average home owner might not do quite as well unless their home was in an especially warm pocket for the area.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,701 posts, read 81,510,683 times
Reputation: 57964
Quote:
Originally Posted by Isleofpalms85
"They also grow a lot slower in northern climates, and have much better fall color than in the south." Hemlock 140, how would you know whether the Sweet Gum has superior fall color in the North Versus the Southern U.S., have you actually taken note of this or are you what prejudiced rebel southerners old timers would call a yank? I myself would think that since they are hardier and are actually Native to almost the entire Southern U.S., that there would be no discernible difference in fall color or that those in the South have better fall color than those in the North. But I cannot say because I have never seen a sweet gum's fall color in the South.
My experience is from my experience with having them in both California and here in the Seattle area where the summer is very short and the fall much colder.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
