Abstract
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.), a widely distributed hardwood in the United States and Central America, shows potential for tropical forestry application. Fruit heads change from bright green to yellow in color as they mature, and they can be picked from standing trees or logging slash when the color change occurs. Fruits release their seeds after only moderate drying, and cleaning is easy with air-screen cleaners. Sweetgum seeds are orthodox in storage behavior, and they should be stored at moisture contents of 5 to 10% at 0° to 5° (5 years or less) or −18° (more than 5 years). The seeds exhibit a shallow dormancy that can be overcome with 2 to 4 weeks of stratification at 3°C.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Assocation of Official Seed Analysts. 1983. Seed vigor testing handbook. Contrib. No. 32 to handbook on seed testing. Assoc. Off. Seed Anal.
Baker, G.S.B. 1971. A study of seed dormancy and germination in sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.). Ph.D. thesis, Mississippi State Univ., State College.
Belcher, E. & J. Vozzo. 1979. Radiograph analysis of agricultural and forest tree seeds. Assoc. Off. Seed Anal. Handb. No. 31.
Bonner, F.T. 1967. Germination of sweetgum seed in response to light. H. Forestry 65: 339.
Bonner, F.T. 1972a. Maturation of sweetgum and American sycamore seeds. Forest Sci. 18: 223–231.
Bonner, F.T. 1972b. Measurement of moisture content in seeds of some North American hardwoods. Proc. Int. Seed Test. Assoc. 37: 975–983.
Bonner, F.T. 1974. Liquidambar styraciflua L. sweetgum. In: Seeds of Woody Plants of the United States (pp. 505–507) USDA Agric. Handb.
Bonner, F.T. 1978. Handling and storage of hardwood seeds. In: Proc. Second Symposium on Southeastern Hardwoods. (pp. 145–152) USDA Forest Serv., State and Priv Forestry, Atlanta, GA.
Bonner, F.T. 1981. Measurement and management of tree seed moisture, USDA Forest Service Southern Forest Exp. Sta. New Orleans, LA. Res. Pap. SO-177.
Bonner, F.T. & T.R. Dell. 1976. The Weibull function: a new method of comparing seeds vigor. J. Seed Technol. 1: 96–103.
Bonner, F.T. & R.E. Farmer, Jr. 1966. Germination of sweetgum in response to temperature, moisture, stress, and length of stratification. Forest Sci. 12: 40–43.
Bonner, F.T. & J.L. Gammage. 1967. Comparison of germination and viability tests for southern hardwood seed. USDA Forest Serv. Tree Planters' Notes 18(3): 21–23.
Boyer, J.N. & D.B. South. 1984. Forest nursery practices in the South J. Appl. Forestry 8(2): 67075.
Czabator, F.J. 1962. Germination value: an index combining speed and completeness of pine seed germination. Forest Sci. 8: 386–396.
Daniels, B. & T. Monaghan. 1985. Seedlings available from state nurseries. Miss. Coop. Extern. Serv. Forest. Resources Man. Techn. Note MTN 4E. (Revised).
Edwards, D.G.W. 1986. Special prechilling techniques for tree seeds. J. Seed Technol. 10: 151–171.
International Seed Testing Association. 1985. International Rules for Seed Testing. Seed Sci. & Technol. 13: 299–355.
Justice, O.L. & L.N. Bass. 1978. Principles and practices of seed storage. USDA Agric. Handb. 506.
Kearney, N.S. & F.T. Bonner. 1968. Sweetgum seed production on soils in central Mississippi. USDA Forest Serv. Southern Forest Exp. Sta. New Orleans, LA. Res. Note SO-75.
Little, Jr, E.L. 1979. Checklist of United States Trees (Native and Naturalized). USDA Forest Serv. Agric. Handb. No. 541.
McCarter, P.S.] & C.E. Hughes. 1984. Liquidambar styraciflua L. — a species of potential for the tropics. Commonwealth Forestry Rev. 63: 207–216.
Nikolaeva, M.G. 1967. Physiology of deep dormancy in seeds. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Komarov Bot. Inst. Engl. Trans. (1969) US Dept. Com. TT 68-50463.
Rink, G., T.R. Dell, G. Switzer & F.T. Bonner. 1979. Use of the Weibull function to quantify sweetgum germination data. Silvae Genet. 28: 9–12.
Robbins, A.M.J. 1984. Seed extraction 1. The tarpaulin method of sun drying pine cones and seed extraction. DANIDA Forest Seed Centre Tech. Note No. 9. Humleback, Demrak.
Wilcox, J.R. 1968. Sweetgum seed stratification requirements related to winter climate at seed source. Forest Sci. 14: 16–19.
Winstead, J.E. 1971. Populational difference in seed germination and stratification requirements of sweetgum. Forest Sci. 17:34–36.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bonner, F.T. Collection and care of sweetgum seed. New Forest 1, 207–214 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118758
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118758