In addition to this, resins and extracts from sweet gum trees have also shown antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, antihypertensive, anticoagulant, antihepatotoxic and wound-healing benefits.
Mulching Sweet gum pods that fall in autumn can also be used as a mulch. Air and water easily pass through their hollow structure, and their spikey surface can even help deter slugs and other animals. With a slow decomposition rate, sweet gum balls provide long-lasting ground cover, blocking out sun and preventing weed germination.
Fuel for Fire Sweet gum balls do not catch fire very well by themselves and tend to smolder. However, this makes them a great fuel for hobo stoves as they burn hot enough to cook with, but with minimal flame. Tossed into an already hot fire, they'll burn just fine.
Sweet Gumball Crafts The unique shape and texture of sweet gum balls make them an excellent material for crafting. With a bit of glue and a few simple crafting supplies, they can take on many different shapes.
They're great for decorative purposes, and work well for kids crafts as well be sure to supervise children, as the gumballs can be rather prickly. If you have extras left over, which you likely will considering they fall in such large volumes, consider selling them online as many hobbyists do not have a source of their own.
This large tree provides shade in the summer, gorgeous orange, red, and yellow leaves in the fall, and can make a great privacy barrier. The fruit it bears also provides food for various species of birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and ducks. All these uses are wonderful, but you still have to somehow collect these spikey balls.
Had anyone been out in the yard under it, death would have resulted. It dropped to the ground in seconds. At any rate, now I am going to get an arborist out here to examine the tree and tell me if it needs to be taken down. Mostly of course, I am concerned for the safety of my family and anyone else who might find occasion to be under this majestic messy tree.
I hate the idea of having to cut this tree down, not just because of the vast void it will leave, but because it will affect me emotionally to take down a living marvel like this tree. I will admit it — about 5 years ago I cut down a giant pine tree, and it felt almost like a loss of a family member, or a beloved pet.
I was astonished at my reaction to it — sadness and grief. Like the loss of the tree in Avatar! It is very hard to say goodbye to a beloved tree. I have a massive Tulip Poplar in my backyard that towers over my house, and it is starting to show signs of age. Previous owners of the house allowed English Ivy to grow up it, and while the ivy provides wonderful hiding and nesting sites to a large number of birds, I fear it is suffocating the tree.
My attempts to cut back the ivy have been unsuccessful. Were the Poplar to fall towards my house, it would do terrible damage. When it is time to take it down, it will forever alter the character of the backyard. I have planted some semi-dwarf apple trees around it, but deliberately left an opening on one side, because I think tree removal crews will need to bring in large equipment there when it is time to remove the tree.
Even the Shade Tree Committee was caught off guard. Reblogged this on this quiet hour and commented: for co op. I just learned the the Friends of the Urban Forest are no longer planting Liquidamber here — not because of the sort of spiky seed balls, but because they release volatile organic compounds VOCs into the atmosphere.
Who knew? I hope to be living in this house long enough to have watched it grow significantly. I spray painted the dried balls with gold paint and used them in an art project. Pingback: Sweet gum — Bilocalalia — talking about living in two places. If you leave the balls on the lawn instead of picking them up, will they damage the lawn?
Would they kill the grass or make it harder for grass to grow? Or would they just fall apart and go into the soil? Thanks for the quick reply. I love the trees. I think all of the deadly seed-balls fly into my yard, and none in hers.
I just bought a big place in Fl with a big pool and several big sweetgum trees. They have no business existing on a pool property. A fitting finish for the nasty things. I live in north eastern Ohio and alot of the parks have these trees in them. My wife, my daughter and i frequently visit the parks and walk barefooted all the time.
Infact of i was to go into my car right now there would be at least 20 pods from my daughter who os 18 months old being attracted to them like squirrels collect nuts….
Personally im greatful for all the trees we have in our area they all have their uses and their beautys. I was looking for something else when I saw this item.
I cried when I had to cut down my sweet gum tree due to plumbing problems. The leaves were a glory in the fall. Neighborhood kids would collect the balls to throw at each other and use for craft projects. It was worth the cleanup duty to see that tree in the fall. It was cut about 30 years ago and I miss it still. Trees are not so easily replaced when you are in your 60s.
We planted 4 sweet gum trees last year after we moved into our home in the north Georgia mountains. They are doing great! I bet you miss yours. Thanks for sharing! Sweetgums are favorites of mourning doves, especially in winter. They will congregate inter the trees in the mornings and pick the seeds out of the balls. I miss the mourning doves with their soothing call and their habit of nesting low in the trees and shrubs. The mothers would remain absolutely quiet all day with just the tail sticking out of the nest, and after the eggs hatched, I could take out a stepladder and check on the babies periodically.
Sweetgums should not be planted too close to sidewalks, lest somebody trip on the balls, but they are worth having, just for their value in attracting mourning doves. Thank you for sharing your memories. We have many mourning doves around here in north Georgia. Their songs are so soothing! Beautiful birds!
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Notify me of new posts via email. You must be logged in to post a comment. Sweet Gum Balls from my yard. A nuthatch among the Sweet Gum balls. A close up look at a Sweet Gum ball. Like this: Like Loading Wait till a large one falls on your bare head — it can do some harm… Like Liked by 1 person. Must be a different tree.
Glad to find a fellow Sweet Gum defender. We are definitely outnumbered! What a bummer to hear that they are so despised. They are one of my favorite trees. O loved this post, it is great, thank you! Waiting for your ukulele song!!!
Hip hip horray! I too didnt know the name until Google came to my rescue Like Like. Fight the good fight! Reblogged this on this quiet hour and commented: for co op Like Liked by 1 person. This is difficult to tell with sweetgum, which produces separate male and female flowers on the same plant. In early- to mid-spring as the leaves are emerging and expanding, male or staminate flowers occur in 3 to 4 inch long yellowish-green panicles at the tips of twigs.
The green, one-half inch diameter ball-shaped pistillate or female flowers dangle below them from a long slender stalk. California researchers recommend an application in the spring when the new leaves emerge. If you choose to use this growth regulator, do not apply it to trees that are under stress from disease, high temperatures or drought.
Depending on the size of your tree, commercial spray equipment may be necessary to treat the entire canopy. Florel works best when the daytime temperature is between 60 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
A more permanent solution, however, is to replace your existing trees with a fruitless sweetgum cultivar called "Rotundiloba. While this fruitless cultivar is not as bold and bodacious as species of free-range sweetgum, it is free of gumballs.
Bob Polomski is an award-winning horticulturist and author with extension and teaching responsibilities at Clemson University. Facebook Twitter Email.
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