The seeds of the sweet gum tree
Liquidambar styraciflua
American sweetgum, also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum, is a deciduous tree in the genus Liquidambar native to warm temperate areas of eastern North America and tropical montane regi…
Liquidambar styraciflua
American sweetgum, also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum, is a deciduous tree in the genus Liquidambar native to warm temperate areas of eastern North America and tropical montane regi…
What part of the sweet gum tree is edible?
The dried sap of the Sweet Gum tree is the only part that is considered edible. From pioneers to modern day children have known how to obtain chewing gum from the Sweet Gum tree.
How can you tell if a gum tree is sweet?
The trees’ spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. The sweet gum got its name for the resinous sap that results when you score its bark. It is not, however, sweet. The gum has long been harvested and used for chewing gum, but it is also known to have anti ...
What is sweet gum?
Sweet gum is a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree.
Do squirrels eat sweet gum balls?
Sweet gum balls start out plump and green, but they dry as they mature. The spines become even spinier, and holes open up to reveal seeds inside the balls. These seeds are food for about 25 species of birds, chipmunks and squirrels, says Texas Parks and Wildlife.
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What can I do with sweet gum seeds?
Seed dormancy: Sweetgum has physiological dormancy. Seed germination: Stratify seeds using moist chilling for 30-60 days to satisfy physiological dormancy. Following stratification, sow seeds in a nursery container to produce a seedling or sow them in a plastic container in the classroom to observe germination.
Are sweetgum seeds poisonous?
Sweet gum trees bloom with inconspicuous, yellowish-green flowers in the spring that turn to seedpods -- which are often called gumballs -- in the fall. The tree is not toxic to dogs and cats, but the seedpods do present a different type of health threat if your pet were to step on one.
Are sweet gum balls good for anything?
While they're not edible, the balls can double as spiky mulch to keep animals away from young plants. You can even get creative and use them to make holiday trinkets or decorative balls for bowls.
What are sweet gum seed pods used for?
Sweet gum balls, the seed pods that fall in autumn, can be used as mulch. Because they are sharp and spiny, they are considered as snail and slug deterrents.
Do birds eat sweet gum seeds?
Many birds, such as mourning doves, finches, quail, and turkey, Eastern Towhee, Carolina Chickadee, Slate-Colored Junco, and White-Throated Sparrow feed on the seed of Sweet Gum, as do small mammals such as chipmunks and squirrels.
Can I sell sweet gum balls?
Prices vary, but you can get as much as $20 for 100 sweet gum balls. Hopefully, this has given you some ideas on how to make a little extra money, easily maintain a clean yard, and put those sweet gum balls to good use.
Can you eat gum tree seeds?
The sweetgum tree has both medicinal and nutritional applications. The seeds, sap, and leaf buds are all edible, with the seeds containing the most calories and protein. Because these trees are so plentiful in both rural and suburban areas, it is amazing that more people aren't aware of their uses.
How do you clean sweet gum balls?
Raking with a close-tined rake and bagging is an effective way of removing the balls, as well as for getting exercise. An additional method for removal is by blowing them into a pile with a power blower, ready for bagging. Tall grass interferes with the efficiency of both these methods.
Do sweetgum trees have any value?
Despite the difficulties in their taxonomy, sweet gum trees are in fact widely distributed and well known, due to their varied uses by people. They are valued for their high quality timber and they produce fragrant resin (styrax).
Can you make syrup from a sweet gum tree?
2:1310:43All about Sweet Gum Trees - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhich grows here in the southeast. You can make syrup from that as well and a lot of people don'tMoreWhich grows here in the southeast. You can make syrup from that as well and a lot of people don't think about making their own syrup but really the process is not very difficult.
Should I cut down my sweet gum tree?
Sweet gum trees become overbearing when their extensive root systems bulge from the ground and interfere with more favorable plants or home foundations. When this happens, homeowners choose to cut them down to avoid further damage.
Is there a difference between a gum tree and a sweet gum tree?
Black Tupelo or Nyssa sylvatica is the most common true gum in North America and grows from Canada to Texas. Another common tree that is called a "gum" is sweetgum and is actually an entirely different tree species classification called Liquidambar. The fruit and leaves of sweetgum look nothing like these true gums.
How do you keep sweet gum trees from producing sweet gum balls?
Spray the sweet gum flowers until they're wet but not to the point the spray runs off the flowers. If you don't use enough spray, then some fruits may form; if you use too much spray, the tree may lose some leaves. Overspray that drifts to nearby plants may damage them, and the spray also may damage automobile paint.
Can you burn sweet gum balls?
Many people compare the burning qualities of sweet gum firewood to pine firewood except sweet gum does not contain the sticky sap that's associated with pine. It burns fast and hot and creates a lot of ashes.
Do squirrels eat sweet gum seed pods?
Sweet gum balls start out plump and green, but they dry as they mature. The spines become even spinier, and holes open up to reveal seeds inside the balls. These seeds are food for about 25 species of birds, chipmunks and squirrels, says Texas Parks and Wildlife.
What animals eat sweetgum seeds?
In late fall when the bright green seed pods have dried, birds including purple finches, chickadees, Carolina wrens, towhees, titmice, dove and juncos consume the seeds; as do, squirrels and chipmunks. Lastly, if you are not a fan of the Sweetgum balls that litter the ground, consider using them as mulch.
Can you plant sweet gum tree balls?
Sweetgum seed balls are an aggregate fruit that when dried out can be harvested for seed. Once dried out the seed balls release the seed where birds can chow down so the key to saving the seeds is gathering the seeds when they are still green.
Do deer eat sweet gum trees?
8 | Sweetgum Tree The sticky substance produced by the tree trunk is often loathed by people and the tree holds little value for wildlife — especially deer. Some birds will eat the seeds, but that aside, it's pretty much useless.
Are sweetgum trees invasive?
Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Once a highly popular tree, sweet gums are falling out of favor. They certainly have attractive fall colors, but come with some downsides. Sweet gum roots are highly invasive, often growing near the soil surface and damaging sidewalks, pavements, and other infrastructure.
How long do sweet gum trees live?
100-150 years oldSweet Gum trees are large deciduous trees with beautiful ovular/oval shape. They are long lived, with ages reaching 100-150 years old. Once a tree reaches 20-30 years in age it will start producing seed pods.
Are black gum berries poisonous?
The genus name, Nyssa, comes from the Greek water nymph, Nysseides; and the species epithet refers to growing in the woods4. The fruit is edible, but sour, hence one of the common names—sour gum4.
Can dogs eat gumballs?
Bubble gum does not cause a problem in most dogs. It will probably soften as it gets to his stomach and he should pass it on though. Signs of a problem would be vomiting, lethargy, lack of appetite and/or abdominal pain.
What tree drops spiky balls?
If you've encountered some round, spiny balls under a tree or maybe still on the plant, and you're wondering what it could be, it's likely one of several options: buckeye/horsechestnut (Aesculus), chestnut (Castanea), or sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua).
How many seeds are in a sweet gum ball?
Each gumball will produce from 30-50 seeds. These seeds are dispersed by the wind and by animals. Gazing at these tiny seeds you might wonder what would eat such seeds. In truth, many birds and other wildlife love 'em.
What is a sweet gum tree?
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.
What is the drug Tamiflu?
Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) is a drug that is very successful in shortening the duration and severity of the flu. This is because it inhibits the protein that allows the virus to burst from it’s host cell. Tamiflu is distilled from shikimic acid, which is present in the Sweet Gum tree. Infertile seeds of the Sweet Gum tree contain shikimic acid ...
What did the Cherokee use for medicine?
The Cherokee utilized the Sweet Gum tree (bark/sap) as a Diaphoretic, Febrifuge, Dermatological treatment and as a general medicine. [6] . The Powhatan Indians utilized dried bark mixed with bark of Red Oak to make an infusion used to treat dysentery. [7]
What is the sap of a sweet gum tree used for?
Resin from the sap of Sweet Gum tree is used in the drug Storax. It is said to help clear the lungs/sinuses, have somewhat antiseptic properties, and can be used to treat scabies. [3]
How to get chewing gum from a sweet gum tree?
From pioneers to modern day children have known how to obtain chewing gum from the Sweet Gum tree. Use a knife to slice to the cambrian layer of bark, and return in a week to collect the dried sap. This can be used as chewing gum.
Where does Tamiflu come from?
Tamiflu is distilled from shikimic acid, which is present in the Sweet Gum tree. Infertile seeds of the Sweet Gum tree contain shikimic acid at 2.4-3.7%. [4] . The bark of the Sweetgum tree contains about 1.7 mg/g of shikimic acid. [5] . Both of these can be distilled with water.
What animals eat sweet gum?
The Sweet Gum tree has high value to all levels of the ecosystem. Small mammals and deer eat young Sweet Gum saplings and foliage. [8] This includes deer, hogs, goats, and rabbits. Birds eat the seeds from the pods, while rodents and squirrels eat seeds that fall to the ground.
Why do sweet gum leaves change shape?
These differently shaped leaves occur as part of the tree's adaptive growth pattern. The earliest leaves, the small ones with shallow lobes, were pre-formed in buds at the end of the previous year's growing season, and they overwintered in the buds. Sweet gum's indeterminate growth pattern means that even after the spring buds open, the tree grows continuously all season long, lengthening branches and adding progressively deeper-lobed leaves until cool weather slows, shrinks, and stops leaf production. Many kinds of trees share this growth pattern, and they are typically fast-growing trees that often "invade" open areas (elms and willows, for example). Meanwhile, many other kinds of trees exhibit determinate (or fixed) growth: they only produce a set number of leaves per growing season. Ashes, hickories, oaks, and walnuts, for example, have all of the entire next season's leaves and shoots pre-formed the year before. So after their early, dramatic leafing-out in spring, that's it; after that, only buds to overwinter for next year are produced. Both development strategies optimize growth, survival, and reproduction with the tree's food reserves and environmental challenges.
What is a sweet gum tree?
Sweet gum is a large tree with a long, cylindrical trunk, pyramidal crown, and corky wings on branches and twigs.
What color are the leaves on sweet gum?
The star-shaped leaves of sweet gum become even more striking in the autumn, when they turn various shades of gold, red, pink, and purple, often on the same tree.
How tall are trees and shrubs?
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.
What did Native Americans use bark for?
Native Americans used an infusion of the bark medicinally for diarrhea and dysentery and also in poultices for cuts, sores, and bruises.
What is lumber used for?
The lumber has been used for cabinetry, furniture, flooring, and interior finish.
What is the color of bark?
Bark is brown to gray, very rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges.
Medicinal use of Sweet Gum
A resin obtained from the trunk of the tree (see "Uses notes" below) is antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, parasiticide, poultice, salve, sedative, stimulant, vulnerary. It is chewed in the treatment of sore throats, coughs, asthma, cystitis, dysentery etc. Externally, it is applied to sores, wounds, piles, ringworm, scabies etc.
Habitat of the herb
Swampy woods which are often inundated annually and on rich bottom lands.
Edible parts of Sweet Gum
A chewing gum and a stabilizer for cakes etc is obtained from the resin. It can also be chewed to sweeten the breath.
Other uses of the herb
The aromatic resin "Storax" is obtained from the trunk of this tree. It forms in cavities of the bark and also exudes naturally. It is harvested in autumn. Production can be stimulated by beating the trunk in the spring. The resin has a wide range of uses including medicinal, incense, perfumery, soap and as an adhesive.
Propagation of Sweet Gum
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Harvest the seed capsules at the end of October or November, dry in a warm place and extract the seed by shaking the capsule. Stored seed requires 1 - 3 months stratification and sometimes takes 2 years to germinate. Sow it as early in the year as possible.
Cultivation of the herb
Swampy woods which are often inundated annually and on rich bottom lands.
What are the colors of sweet gum trees?
Their foliage takes on a range of fall colors, including orange, to yellow, red and purple, livening up the landscape. Sweet gum trees also serve as privacy barriers and provide seclusion in ...
What is sweet gum wood?
Timber from the sweet gum tree is a finely textured, moderately heavy white colored sapwood with a light pink tint. Its heartwood is variable and ranges from dark brown to a lighter, reddish brown. Sweet gum wood is valued for its attractive, interlocked grain. It easily takes on staining, painting and is moderately easy to shape and bore. Sweet gum wood is commercially used for electronic cabinetry, furniture, doors, millwork and paneling. It is also used to make baskets, railroad ties, crates and pallets. Sweet gum wood is also used to make plywood, veneer and upholstered furniture frames.
How tall is a sweet gum tree?
This stately tree, reaching heights up to 150 feet, makes an imposing sight in the outdoors.
Why are sweet gum trees important?
They are used to reclaim former zinc and phosphorous mines. Sweet gum trees also fix nitrogen in the soil and improve its fertility. av-override. ‒‒:‒‒. /. ‒‒:‒‒. Replay. Skip.
What is the bark of a gum tree used for?
Gum resin from the trees has anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties and has been used to treat bedsores, topical herpes and angina. Boiled and cooled sap from sweet gum trees makes a balm that is rich in cinnamic acid, benzyl, ethyl and cinnamyl cinnamate.
What is sweetgum balsam?
Montezuma shared xochiocotzoquahuitl (sweetgum) balsam with Cortés. Its genus name, Liquidambar, comes from the Latin liquidus (liquid) and ambar (amber) and refers to the bark's aromatic resin. Pioneer families used sweetgum as it has been used through the ages: for healing wounds, chewing, incense and perfumery. The resin was used in manufacturing drugs, soaps and adhesives during World War I and World War II.
When do sweetgum seed balls develop?
Spiky seed balls develop in autumn and persist through winter, swinging from branches on their long stems. Sweetgum has attractive bark appearing as corky scales in youth and becoming deeply furrowed with age. Culture: Sweetgum prefers deep, rich, moist, slightly acidic soil and full sun.
What is the most commercially important selection of sweetgum?
Shrub-like habit. ‘Oconee' - Is similar to ‘Gumball,' but it has a more rounded habit and better fall color. ‘Rotundiloba' - Leaves of this fruitless cultivar are lobed rather than pointed. This is the most commercially important selection of sweetgum.
How tall do sage trees grow?
Tree size: Grows fast in moist soil, slower in dry soil. Can reach a height of 60 to 75 feet with a spread of at least two-thirds the height at maturity; can reach 120 feet tall in the wild.
What color are starfish leaves?
Leaf: Starfish-shaped, glossy leaves, bright green with a sweet smell. On a single tree, leaves may be yellow, red and purple in fall.
Where does Sweetgum grow?
Sweetgum is native throughout Kentucky, except the Bluegrass. It grows in moist flat areas in association with pin oak or sycamore. The Kentucky champion tree is in Henderson County and is over 70 feet tall.
Is sweetgum native to the Bluegrass region?
Because of this, sweetgum is often seen as a pioneer species on flood plains or in abandoned fields. There are no native sweetgum trees in the inner Bluegrass region. The branches of some sweetgum trees can have unusually corky ridges. This is more noticeable when the trees are young. Print fact sheet.
What is a sweet gum tree?
Sweet gum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua; U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9) are tall, hardy trees that produce profuse green foliage in spring and summer. The leaves turn red and purple in fall, and it is a very common street tree in areas of the United States.
What is the zone for sweet gum?
The extension also suggests planting a fruitless cultivar of sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua rotundiloba; USDA zones 5 to 9) instead. Suzanne S. Wiley is an editor and writer in Southern California. She has been editing since 1989 and began writing in 2009.
