Planting American Sweetgum 'Slender Silhouette' Trees
Here at my farm, we're rushing to get lots of beautiful trees and shrubs planted. Fall is one of the best times to plant because the soil temperature is still mild.
Earlier this week, we planted two Liquidambar styraciflua 'Slender Silhouette' trees, American sweetgums, at the south entrance of my living maze. These handsome trees are from our friends at Select Horticulture, Inc. in nearby Pound Ridge, New York. As these trees mature, they will maintain their erect, columnar form, growing up to 50 or 60 feet tall and only about five to eight feet wide. I think they are just perfect for this space.
Here are some photos.
-
- The slender habit of the American sweetgum ‘Slender Silhouette,’ Liquidambar styraciflua, makes it ideal for narrow spaces. I was so excited to acquire these specimens from Select Horticulture, Inc. I have several ‘slender silhouette’ sweetgums here at the farm already.
-
- Here’s one of them in my maze planted two years ago. It’s towering appearance is so perfect at the end of a maze row. And, it attracts native bees and birds.
-
- The deciduous dark green leaves are a beautiful star-shape.
-
- I decided the trees would look great at this entrance to the maze, which is just off the carriage road. When planting any tree or shrub, always consider the size of a mature specimen when selecting where to plant it.
-
- My gardeners and outdoor grounds crew started digging right away. The holes must be pretty wide – at least two to five times as wide as the root ball. The hole sides should also be slanted. Digging a wide planting hole helps to provide the best opportunity for roots to expand into its new growing environment. Once the hole is dug, it is amended with fertilizer.
-
- The crew uses a tarp to collect the soil from the hole. This makes cleanup much easier and much more efficient.
-
- Pete prepare the trees for transport. Notice how the tree is already showing its fall foliage. This early change of color can often happen with specimens that are not planted. It will be fine after it is established in the ground.
-
- The tree is carefully loaded onto the Hi Lo and driven slowly up the carriage road to its planting location.
-
- Then the crew slowly removes the tree from the fork and into the hole. When moving heavy trees, only hold it by the root ball and the base of the trunk – never by its branches, which could easily break.
-
- The tree is also turned so its best side faces the carriage road.
-
- The Slender Silhouette sweetgum is highly adaptable, drought-resistant, and easy-to-grow, but it does best in well-drained soil where it can get full sun.
-
- Before backfilling, it’s important to stand several feet away from the tree to also make sure the tree itself is straight.
-
- Here’s the second one going into its designated hole… very slowly and carefully.
-
- In autumn, the American Sweetgum shows a kaleidoscope of colors, including vibrant yellow, orange, red, and purple.
-
- Here’s a reddish leaf on the same tree.
-
- The grayish brown bark will become more rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges as it ages.
-
- I like to water the root ball as fast as possible after it is in the ground and before it is backfilled. It’s so important to water and feed – remember what I always say, if you eat, so should your plants.”
-
- Remember, don’t backfill any tree too deeply – leave it “bare to the flare.” The flare of the tree is the area where a tree’s trunk meets its first main roots.
-
- The American sweetgum is deciduous, but It’s nice that we can all enjoy the foliage of the tree for a short while before all the leaves fall off for the season.
-
- Two Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’ trees, American sweetgums. I know they will thrive here for years to come.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
