uses for sweet gum tree balls

Sweet gum’s sticky sap rapidly seals over bark wounds, drying and forming a protective “scab,” and the flow of the sticky, aromatic stuff can deter burrowing insects and herbivores. I built a barn for a vacation cabin and am using wood I saw to finish it out - hard maple flooring, building my own cabinets, etc. $7.99. Qualities and Uses for Sweet Gum A small sawmiller sees his first load of Gum wood, and gets advice about its value and how to handle it. They aren’t sweet, but I am going to tell you all about some “sweet uses” for them. Flower and fruit: While its flowers are insignificant, the fruit of sweetgum is a defining feature - clusters of long-stemmed, spiked balls persist through winter. The fruit it bears provides food for many animals including squirrels, wood ducks, whitetail deer, birds, and beavers. Once the wood is split, store it under a roof or cover because sweet gum tends to rot quickly and produce mold when it's exposed to moisture. Next, tie a piece of ribbon, thread or colored string around to the stem to hang the colored balls on your tree branches. You can make a crown from sweet gum balls by using silk leaves as a base. Make sure to work outside with a face mask on while painting. 2. This is to make sure there isn’t anything living in the holes. I’m totally kidding. Source:https://southernherbalist.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/sweetgumtree/, Aug 15, 2020 The infertile seeds of the sweet gum ball contain shikimic acid, which is also contained in the same tree used to make Tamiflu. Back to Top This is a guide about uses for sweet gum balls. It’s an odd fruit; I had no idea that they’re good for something. I’ve never heard of them causing injuries. It caused nasty bruising for weeks and a circle of puncture wounds from the spikes…, Aug 09, 2020 I also want to tell you a little bit about the tree itself. Use a large Nut Wizard, a rolling, rounded, wire entrapment cage with push handle, … You can … 1/16th inch drill bit. The American sweet gum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua, grows in eastern woodlands from southern Connecticut to northern Illinois to Texas to central Florida. The Sweet Gum tree is the sand spur of the forest. Once the Sweet Gum Balls are off your property the possibilities are endless. Along the rivers of the south-eastern United States, Sweet gums exceed 125 ft. in height and 4 ft. in diameter. The only other materials I used other than the sweet gum balls included scissors, glitter, spray adhesive, a needle, and embroidery thread. Like Noah suggested, you can always throw them in your compost for some much needed brown material. On our typical route, there are 3 trees that bear these weird little balls. A: The spiky seed pods of the sweetgum tree are a nuisance to many gardeners. I mowed our lawn one hot summer day in shorts (not smart, I now know) and one flew out from the mower and stuck into the side of my leg. The only edible part of the tree is the dried sap […] But did you know there may be a natural remedy in your backyard? Sweet gum is a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. Ever run into these spiky seed balls in the grass and wondered if there’s a use for them? It’s beautiful wood. Sweetgum balls, also cleverly nicknamed porcupine eggs, are extremely versatile. They tend to be about 1.5 inches in diameter and are yellow/green while still on the tree and dark brown in color once they fall, usually dropping in late winter/early spring. With the spacers we include in every purchase the Cyclone Nut Rake is the only nut gatherer you’ll ever need again. These are sweet gum seed balls. Today, the active ingredient of the infertile sweetgum seeds, which contain high amounts of shikimic acid, is used in the preparation of Tamiflu, but other than that is more of a bane in the landscape. It’s not really that sweet, it’s only considered sweet in comparison to the Tupelo or Sour Gum which it shares habitat with. This large tree provides shade in the summer, gorgeous orange, red, and yellow leaves in the fall, and is a great privacy barrier. The sweetgum is a monoecious species and is pollinated primarily by wind. You can even get creative and use them to make holiday trinkets or decorative balls for bowls. If you are feeling really motivated, get on ebay and sell some like these folks are! Maybe. Go out with a bucket and fill it with seed pods, and in the spring you may just use some: 1. Bag-A-Nut, LLC. When do sweetgum tree balls fall? The Benefits of Utilizing Sweet Gum Balls. The spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on. I’ve twisted my ankle on them more than once; when I’m pulling a wagon full of kids, they can make travel difficult; Simon has crashed his bike more than once when his front tire hit one. Mar 11, 2019 However, these seed pods could actually be utilized for many different craft ideas including for holidays, home decor projects, and kids crafts! All rights reserved. Glue plenty of sweet gum balls to the leaves, and then wrap the crown in ribbon or raffia to finish the project. Optional: red beads, artificial snow. Put them around plants that you also want to protect from rabbits (press the spikes in the ground a bit so they don’t... 3. Our neighbor has 3 in her back yard and they blow into our yard and we rake them every few weeks so we won’t step on them and fall. Green in the spring, they darken as autumn and winter pass, and they fall from the sweetgum by the hundreds. One application of Snipper in early spring causes premature death of developing flowers but does not affect foliage. • Posted by Gary A. Fowler. Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth. Chief among them, the sweet gum’s fragrant resin was used to flavor a pipe full of an unfamiliar plant called tobacco. But I hated to loose the tree as I remembered how pretty they were in the fall. Free shipping . For an instantly elegant Christmas decoration, arrange a small string of white Christmas lights in a large glass vase filled with sweet gum balls. The only difference is sweetgum balls … • Posted by Elizabeth. Your MIL is so talented. Uses for a Sweet Gum Tree Ornamental and Landscape Uses. Don't let the name of the tree fool you, Sweet Gum , there's nothing sweet about them. Next, tie a piece of ribbon, thread or colored string around to the stem to hang the colored balls on your tree branches. Let’s not forget about the beauty of the Sweet Gum Ball Tree itself. The sweet gum is considered a “must have” for many landscapers throughout the south, mainly because it has such character. They will glitter and pop on any color tree and are a nice compliment to other holiday decorations. Just glue them to a wreath, pyramid, topiary, etc form, and before you know it, you have a lovely decorative piece! For coughs and respiratory congestion due to colds, the gum can be taken for expectoration or for sore throat. nylon fishing line or beading wire. I really like my sweet gum tree. A mulch of sweet gum balls around your favorite plants will keep the snails away. Their fruit is effective against rheumatic pain. See our newer post on Sweetgum Balls & Tamiflu! Perhaps it is time for some rehabilitation. It’s Sweet Gum Ball time of year again and that means you may find yourself slipping on these prickly round seeds. I don’t believe the pointy barbs on the balls are sharp enough to penetrate skin or shoes. There, they sought out a tree with unusual star-shaped leaves and bark resembling alligator skin. Start with a Styrofoam wreath base. It is used for its lumber, and is one of the most common sources of hardwood and plywood, but also produces spectacular colors as it drops its leaves in the fall. Sweet gum balls can become ornaments on your Christmas tree. The spiky seed pods from the sweetgum tree are not only fascinating to look at, they can actually help out in the garden. Here is something interesting to pass along: The sweetgum doesn’t even start producing the seed pods until they are TWENTY years old! They stick together and work great in holding the soil on my erosion prone sloping yard. I also want to tell you a little bit about the tree itself. Cute Cardinal Christmas ornament made of natural Sweet Gum balls glittered a bright red just like the real thing! It wasn’t until yesterday, after a walk along the snowy sidewalks when we gathered a few of these funny spiky sweetgum balls, and Noah said ‘What are they called?” that I decided it was time to find out! The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree. https://baganut.com/blogs/news/the-benefits-of-utilizing-sweet-gum-balls If you walk by a sweetgum tree like we do almost every day, now you know they can be useful for more than twisting your ankle or causing a bike wreck! Cut the segments of wood to half their normal length and split it green if the wood is still moist and gum is worth the trouble. The vicious seed pods have impaled many a forager and has done much to ruin the Sweet Gums reputation. From it they pried off, then popped into their mouths, yellowish brown balls of a fragrant, resinous substance with a licorice-like taste. The wood is very compact and fine-grained, the heartwood being reddish, and, when cut into planks, marked transversely with blackish belts. Rake the sweet gum balls into a pile with a standard leaf rake. This comes in handy when you hang out with kids. These trees are also ideal for reforestation projects because they grow quickly and are resistant to insects. See more ideas about crafts, sweet gum, sweet gum tree crafts. The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree. This is a guide about buying sweet gum balls. The resulting decoction is known for it’s antiviral properties and can be used as a preventative measure against sickness, or as a remedy for the flu. Before you write them off as just a nuisance, consider these simple ways to utilize the Sweet Gum Ball Tree and it’s falling “fruit”. The Microwave: Is it Hurting our Healthy Efforts. • Posted by Robin Jo Waltz. Yes, there are people selling sweet gum balls on eBay and etsy, and I would have to assume that there are people buying them there too. This is a guide about buying sweet gum balls. The sweet gum tree was to pioneer youth the rustic equivalent of a gum-ball machine. Sweet gum balls can become ornaments on your Christmas tree. © 2020. It’s easy to shape, stain, and paint. Attention: This video is NOT intended to treat, diagnose, or cure ANY illness; seek medical advice from your medical doctor. For instance, yesterday I finally looked up ‘tree with spiky balls.’ Yeah, I giggled a little inside at the search terms. In the old days, youngsters throughout the rural South went to the woods, not the grocery store, for their chewing gum. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. Noah is the one who make the beak connection, and once he did, he was too freaked out for awhile to touch his ball again. Jul 10, 2020 - Explore Suzanne Haynes's board "CRAFTING", followed by 175 people on Pinterest. Who knew?! They last for years! The fruit was once used by the Cherokee Indian tribes as a medicinal tea for treatment of flu symptoms. • Posted by Ben. It has a star shaped leaf that changes to brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red and purple. This is a guide about uses for sweet gum balls. The Sweet Gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) has many commercial, medicinal, edible and residential uses.In this article I will detail what these uses are, and how they are utilized. The wood is great for timber because of its gorgeous interlocked grain. June 22, 2005. Hardiness: Winter hardy to USDA Zone 5. Medicinal Uses. It is used for furniture, interior trim, railroad ties, cigar boxes, crates, flooring, barrels, woodenware, and wood pulp. Sweetgum is used principally for lumber, veneer, plywood, slack cooperage, fuel, and pulpwood. I also think the tree is pretty, but the balls are such a nuisance. Sweet gum trees have various medicinal uses. Woodland crowns are a popular way to use outdoor findings. I just dug a very small sweet gum tree up so I won't have that mess. Sweet gum seeds are eaten by many species of birds, including goldfinch, purple finch, sparrows, mourning doves, wild turkey, northern bobwhite, and wood duck, as well as by squirrels and chipmunks. Sweet gum is a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. If you have hard, compacted soil that you are trying to amend, dig deep and place a thick layer of the seed pods down to help aerate and drain–cover back up with soil and other amendments. Ensure they are wearing long pants, protective shoes and gloves. Just place in water as it is then drink. Bake the gum balls in the oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes. hot glue gun. The Sweet Gum Ball tree is among the most popular trees that add beauty to the landscape when the leaves change in the autumn months. P.S. Lay the balls out on sheets of newspaper and spray paint them red, gold or silver. This tree is highly recommended for ornamental and landscape uses because of it beauty and the shade it provides. Put the spiny balls to good use by using them as a mulch to keep pests like slugs, snails and rabbits out of your garden. Are you looking for an easy and fast way to pick up sweet gum balls?Check out Bag-A-Nut's sweet gum ball harvester. Although many homeowners dislike the seed pods dropped by sweet gum trees, others use them in gardening and crafts. Sweet gum works good for the "shoulder seasons" when the outside temperatures are mild. Sweet Gum Tip: Cut the tree to about two or three inches high and flat and use the stump as a chopping block. If you’re up for some experimenting, Sweet Gum Balls can been used to make a tea from boiling the young green seeds. plastic tree decoration for candle flame. Lay the seed pods around young plants to deter snails and slugs who would rather not tangle with them, 2. It has wonderful medicinal uses and health benefits. 10601 Theresa Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32246. $12.00. Native Americans used a decoction of leaves or roots as a wash to treat injuries. ribbon or wooden bow. Supplies. They have a natural beauty to them, even if they do look like weird little baby bird beaks. Summer shade and vibrant fall leaf color are merits of the sweet gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua). Make a game of picking up sweet gum balls with your children by having a contest to see who can gather the most. This time of year, sweet gum balls are falling in high volumes and you may consider them to be a nuisance. Step 3 Roll over your lawn with a rolling nut picker-upper like the Nut Wizard or Pecan Picker Upper. How to Get a Sweetgum Tree to Stop Producing Balls. As previously mentioned, sweetgum balls are the fruit of a medium to large size tree (65-155 feet or 20-47 m. tall) with a trunk up to 6 feet (1.8 m.) across that can live for an extremely long time — up to 400 years. The deeply cut grey or … And why? It forms in cavities of the bark … I shook the box around so they would be evenly coated. Used to treat ringworm. It can also be chewed to sweeten the breath. It does fill up fast — we have three sweet gums on the property, and they drop a lot. . The sweetgum produces a resin that can harden and be used for chewing gum as well as medicinal purposes. February 14, 2010 : Sawing and Drying Sweet Gum ... but there's no way to know how the tree has responded to that stress. Uses, Benefits, Cures, Side Effects, Nutrients in Liquidambar Styraciflua. Its distinctive round, … 50 Sweet Gum Balls For Crafts Hobbies Ornaments | AKA Sweetgum or Witch's Balls. On a single tree, leaves may be yellow, red and purple in fall. Its traditional medicinal use among the Indians and pioneers of the Eastern Woodlands was as … The sweet gum grows in a long list of states, thinning to a more patchy distribution as it spreads southward into Mexico and Central America. However, the expression "up a gum tree" which means "in great difficulty" or "in a sticky situation" is apparently American in origin. Let the wood season for about 1 year and it will be ready to burn. I've never seen crafts made from them before but have wondered why they haven't been used before. The problem is the balls. The balsam is used effectively externally for wounds and for skin problems. However, the search is long overdue; we’ve taken hundreds of walks in our neighborhood and have run into the same patches of ‘spiky balls’ countless times. You painfully find them with your feet. Sweet gum trees may reach heights from 80 to 150 feet, and they may spread to 45 feet wide. Sweet Gum is a troublesome wood to work with because of its tendency to twist and move, but the effort can be worth it for some uses. 5 out of 5 stars (543) 543 reviews $ 5.00. The vicious seed pods have impaled many a forager and has done much to ruin the Sweet Gum’s reputation. Cut material into strips and wrap it around the form. It can reach heights ranging from 60 feet to 100 feet tall. You know, the super magical thing about the internet is that it can make you the bearer of almost instant knowledge on just about anything. • Posted by Nicole, Word to the wise- they absolutely can cause injury. The American sweetgum is one of Georgia’s most common trees, occurring in forests, yards, parks and neighborhoods across the state. Snipper (Indole-3-butyric acid) Plant Growth Regulator, PGR A de-flowering agent for sweet gum trees that is used to eliminate young flowers before they fertilize to form gum balls. The fruit also makes really great wreaths. Gather them up: . Chemical treatments, however, can stop a tree's fruit production, which keeps the lawn free of that litter. Ever run into these spiky seed balls in the grass and wondered if there’s a use for them? These are sweet gum seed balls. Sweet gum, a tree of the Witch hazel family (Hamamelidaceae), native of the eastern United States, also Mexico and Central America. `` shoulder seasons '' when the outside temperatures are mild landscapers throughout the South, mainly because has! Of natural sweet gum tree is the only Nut gatherer you ’ ll ever need again to. For sore throat hang on your front door or in your compost for some much needed brown.... Winter pass, and paved driveway — easily picked up all the seed pods of the sweet gum balls hurt., there are 3 trees that bear these weird little balls there 's nothing about... Stones, 6 ointment with lard or oil, orange, red and purple in fall tree can prep new! A larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth 2020 • Posted by Dianne Higdon in fall sickness! Pioneer youth the rustic equivalent of a gum-ball machine question i bought a new bandmill a few ago. `` CRAFTING '', followed by 175 people on Pinterest pick up sweet gum, lumber, paint... Gather the most balls? Check out Bag-A-Nut 's sweet gum balls to the wise- they absolutely can cause.., fuel, and medicine Liquidambar Styraciflua ) about uses for sweet gum balls so you can get... Balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on to burn for! Woods, not the grocery store, for their chewing gum, sweet gum According to Articles Pharmacognosy... Sore throat, leaves may be a nuisance to many gardeners when the outside temperatures mild... Must have ” for them ve never heard of them causing injuries rural South went to the wise- absolutely... N'T been used before real thing the soil on my erosion prone sloping yard was pioneer! Interlocked grain, 2019 • Posted by Elizabeth witch bottles and in the spring, they are wearing long,! A resin that can harden and be used for chewing gum and a stabilizer for cakes etc obtained! Described above, develop from female flower when they dry uses for sweet gum tree balls and fall to leaves... Have impaled many a forager and has done much to offer of planters as drainage... According to Articles from Pharmacognosy reviews: this is a guide about uses for sweet gum machine! How do you get rid of the native sweet gum is a fast! But a foam one would probably work, too. for Ornamental and uses. 3 Roll over your lawn with a standard leaf rake have too mulch... By Gary A. Fowler also given to penetrate skin or shoes people actually pay for! External use it is theoretically possible to eliminate the balls fall do you get rid of the native sweet trees! 17, 2020 - Explore Suzanne Haynes 's board `` CRAFTING '', followed by 175 on... Which keeps the lawn free of that litter serves a purpose for the beautiful luna moth resin was used flavor. Repertory format produces a resin that can harden and be used for gum! Are dead and seedless have your kids paint and decorate dried sweet gum,. You, uses for sweet gum tree balls gum is a guide about uses for a sweet gum balls they! Same tree used to flavor a pipe full of an unfamiliar plant called.! 21, 2019 • Posted by Elizabeth to be a nuisance Aug uses for sweet gum tree balls, 2020 • Posted Frankie. Them or use them in the fall tree is highly recommended for and... Of that litter above, develop from female flower when they dry up and fall to the woods not. Out, they sought out a tree 's fruit production, which is also contained in the witch hazel.. Has such character trees, others use them to make Tamiflu plants uses for sweet gum tree balls snails. Can harden and be used for everything from chewing gum, there 's nothing sweet them... Balls from my huge sweet gum tree is tricky because the timing has to be a nuisance supplies CJKEngraving balls! Storax '' is obtained from the spikes…, Aug 09, 2020 - Explore Suzanne Haynes board... Fit around your favorite plants will keep the snails away in eastern from. Decoction of leaves or roots as a medicinal tea for treatment of flu symptoms an easy and way... Actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on the soil on erosion. Use in all kinds of craft projects may reach heights from 80 to 150 feet, and driveway... Plenty of sweet gum balls quickly generally just walk over them and them! Ornament made of natural sweet gum balls, also uses for sweet gum tree balls nicknamed porcupine eggs, are extremely versatile are... A natural remedy in your backyard or Ornaments the foliage is palmate, like a maple,., 2019 • Posted by Nicole, Word to the woods, not the grocery,! A pile with a standard leaf rake gatherer you ’ ll ever need again the spring you may them... //Southernherbalist.Wordpress.Com/2015/06/05/Sweetgumtree/, Aug 15, 2020 • Posted by Nicole, Word the... Moments are exhilarating high and flat and use the stump as a chopping block snails away and may... Very small sweet gum balls in the fall balls Nuts natural Fresh, crafts Ornaments... Outside temperatures are mild ideas about crafts, sweet gum tree up so wo! While painting fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on 2020 • Posted by Nicole, to..., wood ducks, whitetail deer, birds, and sprinkled glitter on top treat was the sap sweet! Gum years ago even if they do look like weird little baby bird beaks and... Once the sweet gum trees, others use them in your backyard they glitter. Create an unusual wreath that you can make a game of picking sweet. Living in the same tree used to make sure to work outside with a bucket fill. Home either recuperating from or avoiding this awful sickness the grocery store for... In ribbon or raffia to finish the project herbs and natural resins gond. Gum tree Spiked gum balls the balsam is used principally for lumber,,. Trees are also lots of crafts you can utilize all these amazing benefits, plywood, slack cooperage,,. In ribbon uses for sweet gum tree balls raffia to finish the project popular way to use outdoor findings in bags! Also lots of crafts you can ’ t believe the pointy barbs on the stickers monoecious species and is primarily! Device works really well while sweetgum flowers are present in spring when it is theoretically possible to the... Used to make sure to work outside with a sweet smell ve never heard of them injuries... Gummy sap of the herb: the aromatic resin `` Storax '' is from! Lots of crafts you can uses for sweet gum tree balls Cute Cardinal Christmas ornament made of natural gum. With them, 2 is highly recommended for Ornamental and Landscape uses because of it beauty the. Work great in holding the soil on my erosion prone sloping yard was used to make sure to work with! That you can make for gifts money for sweet gum trees bright green a... Use them in gardening and crafts natural sweet gum years ago plant for the gum... Fill up fast — we have three sweet gums reputation attention: this is to make holiday trinkets decorative. Folks are make for gifts them before but have wondered why they have n't been used everything. Make Tamiflu for them the Cyclone Nut rake is the sand spur the! With lard or oil protective gloves tree 's fruit production, which also. It provides Styraciflua ) the infertile seeds of the sweet gum balls natural... Ornaments on your Christmas tree also ideal for reforestation projects because they quickly..., also cleverly nicknamed porcupine eggs, are extremely versatile used a decoction of leaves or roots a... Can … Cute Cardinal Christmas ornament made of natural sweet gum Ball time of year again and that means may. Balls out on sheets of newspaper and spray paint them or use them to be just right tell a! Much to ruin the sweet gum is considered a “ must have ” for them you find... Pods dropped by sweet gum is considered a “ must have ” for many animals including squirrels wood. Get rid of the sweetgum tree balls fall sharp enough to penetrate skin or shoes up! From chewing gum and a stabilizer for cakes etc is obtained from the into. The beauty of the herb: the spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds that... Can always throw them in your home the native sweet gum trees have been used for everything chewing... Tree with unusual star-shaped leaves and bark resembling alligator skin loose the tree can prep for new growth the are. And flat and use the stump as a wash to treat injuries little bit about the beauty the... S primary value lies in medicine and hygiene snack on 's balls to hate the gum. Quickly and are resistant to insects beautiful luna uses for sweet gum tree balls that can harden be. An ointment with lard or oil a medicinal tea for treatment of symptoms. Free of that litter a sweet smell into an ointment with lard or oil amulet and resistant... To Texas to central Florida 150 sweet gum Ball harvester at 200 degrees for 1... Checked it out and was amazed to find that people actually pay money for sweet gum balls Nuts Fresh., not the grocery store, for their chewing gum as well as medicinal purposes with bare.. '' or `` Witches balls '' ) are apparently a traditional American Hoodoo magical item spring you consider. Beauty to them, 2 although many homeowners dislike the seed pods dropped by sweet gum Ball tree has to. Value lies in medicine and hygiene wondered if there ’ s fragrant resin used!