Cork bark liquidambar?

[19Mateo83]

In my wondering about my buddy’s property I have found one particular liquidambar that has really really corky bark and branches. Other than the bark it is a pretty boring straight tree but I haven’t seen any others in the woods with bark as corky as this one. Now for the questions. Is it normal for young liquidambar trees to grow a heavy cork bark? Will it keep this bark as it ages? If I chop the trunk will it regrow this same type of bark over the healed scars? How do liquidambar take to air layering? I will get a picture of this tree in question tomorrow, it’s kind of in a bad place and will probably need to be cut out if I don’t collect it. If this is a normal thing I probably will just let it get cut out and look for better options.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yes, that’s normal. Young branches can develop ”wings” like winged elms do, but in time, the normal bark replaces them.

 

[Pitoon]

Yes, I see all the time while hiking the trails here in Maryland.

 

[penumbra]

It is one of the charms of the species.

 

[Cmd5235]

They absolutely do. Even new growth can exhibit this. I have quite a few- they're difficult, but come with some perks like foliage and texture.

 

[19Mateo83]

This is the tree in question

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I’d call that an oddity.

 

[Joe Dupre']

That would be a very striking tree in fall with that bark and red leaves.

 

[19Mateo83]

I’d call that an oddity.

That’s what I was thinking, the rest I see are like the one in the background.

 

[19Mateo83]

I guess it’s worth digging up. I’d hate to see an oddity like that one killed out. Even if I don’t do a trunk chop on it it may be a good candidate for air layers later on. Hopefully air layered branches will develop the same bark characteristics.

 

[Ohmy222]

you sure it is not a winged elm? I have seen very corky sweetgums. not sure I have seen one like that but they are weird trees as in one area you can see them with smooth and corky/winged bark. Leaf size and color seem to vary from tree to tree too.

 

[19Mateo83]

you sure it is not a winged elm? I have seen very corky sweetgums. not sure I have seen one like that but they are weird trees as in one area you can see them with smooth and corky/winged bark. Leaf size and color seem to vary from tree to tree too.

Im 99.9% positive it is a sweet gum. The area it is in does not have any elms. It’s all oaks, beech, poplar, hickory, sweet gum and farmed loblolly pines. Good guess though!

 

[penumbra]

I have seen somewhat similar Sweet Gum, but this one is a bit more winged or corkey than they normally are.

 

[Maiden69]

That's how the cork bark on the new branches of my oriental liquidambar looks like. But the trunk is not like that.

 

[19Mateo83]

That's how the cork bark on the new branches of my oriental liquidambar looks like. But the trunk is not like that.

I’ve seen branches like this but never a trunk. I’ve seen “named” cultivars for sale that have this feature.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I'm pretty sure that's how cultivars come about. An odd variant grown or found and then it's cloned and re-cloned until a new look or growing habit is attained.

 

[Cmd5235]

I'd absolutely collect this, but I'd consider growing it for a few more years to fatten it up. Liquidambar are tough trees and they bud like crazy. That bark on a thick trunk will look fantastic.

 

[Ohmy222]

another thing I should have called out. Around me the corky sweetgums normally have the worse internode length and weirdest growth. They aren't my favorite species anyway but I have never seen a corky one I felt was worth the effort. I have a couple on regular ones I have been playing with. Shame because I am surrounded by them.

 

[Matte91]

I ones saw a 3 meter high liquidambar in a nursery with the same cork bark as yours. The name on the tag was Liquidambar styraciflua gumball.

Here is what i found out when I searched the name in a nursery here in Denmark:

"The grey bark is deeply grooved. The young twigs are light green and have corky fissures that remain on the branches until the tree is mature. Two-year-old branches are reddish brown"

 

[penumbra]

I ones saw a 3 meter high liquidambar in a nursery with the same cork bark as yours. The name on the tag was Liquidambar styraciflua gumball.

Here is what i found out when I searched the name in a nursery here in Denmark:

"The grey bark is deeply grooved. The young twigs are light green and have corky fissures that remain on the branches until the tree is mature. Two-year-old branches are reddish

"Gumball" is a dwarf.