Gumball Sweetgum

'Gumball' is a dwarf, globe-forming cultivar of American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), a species native to the eastern United States. It is typically sold grafted onto a straight trunk as a topiary standard, though it can also grow as a low, self-stemmed mound. The primary draw is the same vivid fall foliage - red, orange, purple, and yellow simultaneously on the same plant - as the full-sized species, in a form that fits small residential lots and tight planting spaces.

The cultivar is slow-growing and reaches roughly 6–10 ft as a grafted standard. Like the straight species, it tolerates clay and seasonally wet soils better than most ornamental trees, making it useful in spots where drainage is imperfect. It still produces the spiky seed capsules that give the species its common name, though in smaller quantities. Mulching the root zone 3–4 in deep helps sustain consistent soil moisture and buffers temperature extremes at both ends of its hardiness range. Full sun is required for peak fall color intensity; partial shade produces noticeably muted tones.

The resin of L. styraciflua - historically called American storax or copalm balsam - was used by Indigenous peoples of the eastern woodlands and later by European settlers as a topical antiseptic, a wound dressing, and an expectorant for respiratory complaints. It was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia during the 19th century and has been used in perfumery as a fixative.