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Chinese Sweetgum

Liquidambar formosana

Found in suburban woodlands, escaping from horticultural use. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Mississippi. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 59%

Height
40–60 feet
Spread
25–30 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Usually moist

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
April to May

County records are not available.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

40CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including MS

Genus host records with ranges including MS · Liquidambar

  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Moth
  • Citheronia regalisRegal Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Callosamia securiferaSweetbay Silkmoth, Carolina Silk Moth
  • Cenopis canaGray Sparganothis Moth
Show all 40
  • Ceratonyx satanariaHorned Ceratonyx
  • Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
  • Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira leucophaeaPeppered Tussock Moth
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Metaxaglaea viaticaRoadside Sallow
  • Nemoria elfaCypress Emerald
  • Nemoria saturibaBraided Emerald, Red-Spotted Emerald
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Paectes abrostoloidesLarge Paectes
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Sciota uvinellaSweetgum Leafroller
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Dasychira atrivenosa
  • Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
4BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Liquidambar

  • Aix sponsaWood Duck
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
  • Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Altingiaceae
Hardiness
Zones 7a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Yellow, green or inconspicuous

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Mississippi rankSNA
Global rankGNR
MS statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources