Next Ten sweetgum trees stand between the Art building and MacKenzie Hall. They are vigorous shade trees from the southeastern U.S., with starfish-shaped leaves that smell sweetly resinous if scratched. From the leaf shape you might think it a maple, except that no maple can match the sweet odor. Moreover, maple leaves and twigs are borne in pairs opposite one another, whereas sweetgum leaves are borne like those of most trees.
Several features make sweetgum one of the most popular urban ornamental trees.
It is strong, adaptable to varied soil conditions, and produces a safe, handsome crown of branches. The fall leaf color can be spectacular red, but trees from the Deep South tend to hold their leaves green very late. Practically no insects or diseases bother this species. A drawback is its prickly seedballs littering the ground, crunching underfoot. Map of geograpical range of Sweetgum.