Side by side
Sweetgum or sycamore? How to tell them apart
Liquidambar styraciflua · Acer pseudoplatanus
How to tell them apart – sweetgum: glossy, star-shaped, alternate leaf, corky ridges on the twigs and spiky balls; sycamore: leaves are opposite and coarsely toothed.
.JPG){kind=link}
How do you recognise them?
- Sweetgum
- Glossy, star-shaped, alternate leaf, corky ridges on the twigs and spiky balls.
- Sycamore
- Large five-lobed leaf with coarsely toothed edges, no milky sap; flowers and fruits in hanging clusters.
- Compared with sweetgum: leaves are opposite and coarsely toothed.
| Sweetgum | Sycamore | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, star-shaped with 5–7 pointed, finely toothed lobes, glossy. Smells resinous when crushed. | Opposite, 10–20 cm, with 5 coarsely and irregularly toothed lobes; underside grey-green. Leaf stalk often red, without milky sap. |
| Flowering | April–May | Yellow-green flowers in hanging clusters, appearing with the leaves (May). |
| Fruit | Spiky, woody balls 2–4 cm across on a long stalk. | Winged fruits with wings at an acute to right angle. |
| Bark | Grey-brown and furrowed; young twigs often have corky ridges. | Grey, flaking in plates on older trees. Buds green. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 20–30 m | Broadleaf tree, 25–35 m |
| Site | Full sun, acid soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, naturalised |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Little | Yes, for bees and birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | November–March | July–October |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Sweetgum (20–30 m) and sycamore (25–35 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Sweetgum
- Plant profile: Sycamore
- Sweetgum: when and how to prune
- Sycamore: when and how to prune
- Identification key: the question that separates them
Also looks like
- Sycamore or Norway maple
- Sycamore or silver maple
- London plane or sycamore
- Sweetgum or London plane
- Sweetgum or red maple
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.