This tree is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

• Position: full sun
• Soil: moist, well-drained, acidic to neutral soil
• Rate of growth: fairly fast-growing
• Flowering period: May
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  One of the best for autumn colour, 'Sweet Gum' is a gorgeous tree, with large, star-like, shiny, bright green leaves which turn spectacular shades of orange, red, purple and yellow in the autumn. Its shape is broadly conical, and although it grows slowly, it is best suited to a larger garden, as it is long-lived and will eventually grow to 25 metres. In Britain, it flowers intermittently and inconspiculously in spring, but it is for the foliage that this tree is prized. Grow it either as a specimen tree, or as the centrepiece to a glade. Trees grown in a rich, damp soil in full sun will colour the best.
  
  
• Garden care: When planting, incorporate lots of well-rotted manure or garden compost into the planting hole and stake firmly. Requires minimal pruning. Remove any broken, diseased or crossing branches in late autumn or winter.