also: ふうぞく
noun
Liquidambar genus; sweetgum genus
Botanical term for the genus Liquidambar, known for its aromatic resin and colorful autumn foliage. Not to be confused with true maples (Acer).
フウ属の樹木は、秋に美しい紅葉を見せる。
Trees of the Liquidambar genus display beautiful autumn colors.
フウ属の樹脂は香料として利用されることがある。
The resin of Liquidambar species is sometimes used as a fragrance.
The genus name Liquidambar is derived from Latin 'liquidus' (liquid) and Arabic 'ambar' (amber), referring to the fragrant resin. The Japanese name フウ属 is a direct borrowing of the Chinese name 楓属 (fēng shǔ), which originally referred to sweetgum trees.