Sweet gum, also called red gum, is a tall, stately tree. It grows naturally from Connecticut and southern New York to Florida and westward to southern Illinois, Oklahoma, and eastern Texas. It is also native to mountainous regions of Mexico and Guatemala and has been planted widely in the western United States. Normally, the sweet gum reaches a height of 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters). When mature, its straight trunk is 3 to 4 feet (91 to 120 centimeters) thick at the base. Sweet gum leaves are deeply lobed and star-shaped. They turn gold, red, or a deep crimson in autumn. The fruit is a brownish, spiny ball that remains on the tree through the winter. The sweet gum is so named because it produces a gummy compound, called storax, that is used in making perfumes, adhesives, and salves. Sweet gum wood is fairly hard and heavy. People use it to make veneer, cabinets, and other products.
