American gum is an important and diverse group of hardwoods, often undervalued and growing sustainably throughout the Eastern and particularly the South Eastern USA. Not to be confused with Australian gum (Eucalypt)
Liquidambar styraciflua
redgum, sweetgum
American gum trees are large with straight trunks growing widely across the South Eastern USA. There are several other, non-commercial, gums that also grow across the USA.
FIA data shows U.S. gum growing stock is 714.6 million m3, 4.9% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock. American gum is growing 22.9 million m3 per year while the harvest is 11.7 million m3 per year. The net volume (after harvest) is increasing 11.2 million m3 each year. U.S. gum growth exceeds or is in balance with harvest in all the main producing states.
Global Warming Potential | Primary Energy Demand from Resources | Primary Energy Demand from Renewables | Acidification Potential | Freshwater Eutrophication Potential | Marine Eutrophication Potential | Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential | Resource Depletion | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unit | Kg CO2 -eq | MJ | MJ | Moles of H+ eq. | Kg P -eq | Kg N -eq | Kg NMVOC | Kg Sb -eq. |
Forestry | / | 350 | 12500 | 0.379 | / | 0.000452 | 0.477 | 0.00000273 |
Drying | 42.7 | 645 | 673 | 0.239 | 0.000352 | 0.0114 | 1.37 | 0.0000274 |
Sawmill | -159 | 910 | 2530 | 0.29 | 0.000179 | 0.0059 | 0.207 | 0.000247 |
Transport Forest-Kiln | 66.4 | 919 | 14.8 | 0.306 | 0.000467 | 0.00779 | 0.383 | 0.0000402 |
Transport Kiln-Customer | 160 | 2120 | 31.1 | 2.8 | 0.000672 | 0.0489 | 2.09 | 0.0000884 |
Carbon uptake | -3020 | / | / | / | / | / | / | / |
Total | -2910 | 4950 | 15800 | 4.01 | 0.00167 | 0.0744 | 4.54 | 0.000406 |
American gum is available as sawn lumber and veneer in a variety of grades and sizes. It is usually sold as sapgum with no colour specification. Under NHLA Grading Rules each clear cutting must have one red (heartwood) face. When sorted for colour redgum (majority heartwood) is much more limited in availability. Lumber is more likely to be available in thinner stock (4/4” & 5/4”) and may be more limited in export markets.
Gum has a fine uniform texture, but has irregular grain, usually interlocked, often with an attractive grain figure. The sap of gum tends to be wide and is white to light pink in colour, whereas the heartwood is reddish brown, typically with dark streaks.
The wood of gum is only moderately hard to soft, stiff and heavy, but has low steam bending classification. The wood is close grained.
Main uses are cabinet making, furniture and furniture parts, doors, internal joinery and mouldings. Gum has been used and stained, as a substitute for walnut or mahogany.