A liquid amber (Liquidambar styraciflua) tree in Santa Clara, California, showing full fall red color. The "liquid amber" name is most commonly used in California; elsewhere it is often called by its proper name liquidambar. It is sometimes called the monkey ball, prickle ball, or sticky ball tree after its seed pods with their 80 wooden pins. No fun barefoot around these guys. This tree appears to be the Palo Alto variety, popular in this area.
