MinervaFlora December Update

This month I will focus on the Sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua), a deciduous tree native to the southern portion of Ohio. It is often planted as a landscape tree in the rest of Ohio.

Once you know this tree, you’ll likely remember it by its 5-7 point star-shaped leaves, its beautiful fall color and its spiky round fruits. In autumn, the leaves turn shades of color from yellow to orange to red to deep purple and mixtures of all of these, tending to turn and stay attached to the tree later in the season than many other trees. The fruit is in the form of spiky ball, sometimes called gum balls.

Mature height reaches 60-80’, width 40-60’. It is adaptable to a wide range of soils and prefers full sun to light shade. It is not good in heavy shade.

The tree is a host plant for over 30 species of butterflies and moths, including the Luna Moth and the Promethea Moth and is in the same family as Witch-hazel.

Fun fact: the sap of the Sweetgum tree was historically gathered to create chewing gum.

Community garden:  I have applied for the Franklin County community garden grant and plan to apply for the Columbus Foundation community garden grant.  Donations at this point are at 1,010 pounds to WARM mostly, but some to Worthington Pantry.

MinervaFlora:  We continue invasive removal on Saturdays at 3 pm. Some of us may work on our own when we are available.  These may continue into December, depending on weather. Still planning on vests for the volunteers, though we’ve run into an increase in cost due to shipping (the shipping fee is charged per vest and almost the same cost as the vest!