Sweetgum, Witch Hazel

The sweetgum has star shaped leaves.

The sweet gum has fruits that look like " gumballs" which persist throughout the winter.

One shouldn't confuse this witch-hazel tree with the shrubs of the same name that bloom at the end of February every year. The one pictured is the native witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). The native one blooms during the fall, not the early spring. The spring blooming species is called vernal witch-hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) after the time of year in which it blooms.

The old flowers on this witch-hazel bush on the south side of Widener Library.

Virginia Tech Dendrology info-sweetgum, witch-hazel

Created by Ryan Lynch

Last updated May 20, 2007