Sweetgum

Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweetgums tend to grow in habitats ranging from floodplains ans swamps to somewhat dry upland woods. You will find this sweetgum growing in a patch of grass near the IU Arboretum, outside of the Department of Kinesiology building. This sweetgum stood out to me due to its foliage: the leaves, which are star-shaped and remind me somewhat of Japanese maple leaves, were a bright, bold yellow. The fruits, which are encased in spiky balls, drop everywhere and are a telltale sign of sweetgums growing around Bloomington.