Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Asian Sweet Gum, Formosan Sweet Gum

Description:

A tall, pyramidal shade tree with interestingly shaped leaves that emerge lavender-purple and turn a lovely rose-red in fall; crown becomes more rounded with maturity; does not like sandy soil but is otherwise vigorous

Ornamental Features

Afterglow Sweet Gum has forest green deciduous foliage which emerges lavender in spring on a tree with a pyramidal habit of growth. The lobed palmate leaves turn an outstanding rose in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Afterglow Sweet Gum is a deciduous tree with a strong central leader and a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Afterglow Sweet Gum is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade

Planting & Growing

Afterglow Sweet Gum will grow to be about 60 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a high canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 80 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

This plant is not reliably hardy in our region, and certain restrictions may apply; contact the store for more information.