Grows from Connecticut southward throughout the East to central Florida and eastern Texas. It is found as far west as Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma and north to southern Illinois. There are 189 frost-free days in the northern part of its range and up to 320 in the southern part.
Seed production varies widely depending on climatic conditions during the growing season.
Under optimum conditions, seed balls may average as many as 56 sound seeds per ball, or as few as 7 or 8 under less favorable conditions. Except for leaffeedeers, insects usually attack only trees that are already damaged, decadent, or dead. These include the bark beetles, the ambrosia beetles, and the darkling beetles. The leaffeeders include the forest tent caterpillar and the luna moth. USES A list of publications involving sweetgum lumber can be obtained from VPI. .