If you are a purist and believe that you should attempt to compost everything, then the best bet is to run a “hot” compost pile. Otherwise, your sweetgum tree will still produce ballsâthough they'll be smaller. No, I am not talking about the sweet gumballs that we blow bubbles with. You can even get creative and use them to make holiday trinkets or decorative balls for bowls. The round fruit balls are produced from fertilized flowers. They won't even burn up. Learn how to stop sprouting tree roots. The only difference is sweetgum balls drop all fall and winter. 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. If you split and stack it now, don't plan on burning it in your stove until next winter or possibly the next. After gathering your sweet gum balls⦠Sweet gum is a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. Apr 21, 2019 ⢠Posted by Gary A. Fowler. In fact, sweetgum balls are anything but sweet. Burning sweet gum with firewood is not common, but you can do it. Sweetgum balls will take some time to break down. Anything, just get rid of the darn things! where I grew up in Central Va I hated having to get all the Gum balls up out of the yard, I tried burning one year....yeah they kinda just turn into to little fuel pellets, found some today down by the river where I'm playing about by the house might try some ina can stove, thanks for the tip. 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! The resulting dropped fruits become woody and are the bane of any wanderer, as they will pierce tender flesh. Never, ever knew there was any use for them. The treesâ spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. If the sweet gum balls actually burn, even if it is quickly, I'd be tempted to try using them for kindling or just as a occasional boredom remedy. If you run a cool pile, sweetgum in compost will likely not break down and very possibly you will end up with volunteers sprouting from the pile. P.S. Then, the flowers drop, preventing the balls from ever forming. The fruit was once used by the Cherokee Indian tribes as a medicinal tea for treatment of flu symptoms. The rough compost will be unpleasant to the undersides or feet of these animals and may deter them from romping through the garden. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. When do sweetgum tree balls fall? Sign up for our newsletter. Yes. But are they effective or even safe? Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth. If an appropriate space is available, check out the cold-hardy cultivar, 'Moraine', which is recommended for northern Illinois. ©2020 The Davey Tree Expert Company. Choose sweetgum logs that are dry enough for burning. It is a beautiful tree, and I would hate to get rid of it because of those pesky things!â. In fact, itâs proven that sweet gum can produce up to 20.6 million BTUs per cord when used as a fuel. View our Privacy Policy for more information. All Rights Reserved. Most people view sweet gum wood as a luxury that should be used for lumber and furniture production. Apr 21, 2019 ⢠Posted by Gary A. Fowler. The tree prefers moist bottomland and plenty of sun and, as such, is found from southern New England to Florida and west into the nation’s interior states. We cut the trees into 10 ft logs and then run them through our bandsaw mill cutting them into 3" thick slabs then turn them 90 degrees and make 5" cuts. The seed heads of the sycamore disintegrate as their seeds are dispersed; the sweet gum seed capsule, on the other hand, has a woody structure, and the gum balls are quite persistent. Can I Use a Pressure Washer to Clean or Spray Trees? If the sweet gum balls actually burn, even if it is quickly, I'd be tempted to try using them for kindling or just as a occasional boredom remedy. The spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on. Fire starting is ⦠Sweet gum will make excellent firewood as it is capable of producing large amounts of heat, as long as you are willing to put in the extra work. At Davey, our arborists pinpoint the best application time each year using Nature Clock, a patent-pending software application that predicts bloom time and peak pest emergence. Itâs a narrow but critical window. Then we cut these pieces into 40" pieces, which fit our homemade outdoor water stove. For the best chance of stopping the sweetgum balls, hire a certified arborist. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies. They are 1 3/4 inches in diameter and have prickly points that open to ⦠While theyâre not edible, the balls can double as spiky mulch to keep animals away from young plants. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. It's soooooooooooooooooooo hard to rake and bag and rake and bag, so we burn the nice leaves in the area b/c the d***â¦. Keep reading to learn more ways to tackle this prickly problem. Do sweet gum balls burn? C. Cahlan Scout. I have had about 6 of them cut down over the years, as well as about 6 big pine trees, but it's still got a lot of both. In fact, sweetgum balls are anything but sweet. The pitch of roof is such that sweet gum balls fall and roll down into the driveway. We have those dreaded Sweet Gum trees and their precious offspring--prickly sweet gum balls *spits*. Tree Service Experts Since 1880. Neighbors tell us its safe to burn in the fireplace, but it takes a long time to dry out. And why? This is a guide about uses for sweet gum balls. Our neighbor has 3 in her back yard and they blow into our yard and we rake them every few weeks so we wonât step on them and fall. The sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) produces an extremely spiked capsule containing one or two seeds in the summer. You painfully find them with your feet. The vicious seed pods have impaled many a forager and has done much to ruin the Sweet Gums reputation. This video is about Make Money With Sweet Gum BallsE-mail: curmudgeoncalls@gmail.com And why? So far, they don't really burn with much flame, they just smoke. The tree needs the injections right before it flowers in spring. where I grew up in Central Va I hated having to get all the Gum balls up out of the yard, I tried burning one year....yeah they kinda just turn into to little fuel pellets, found some today down by the river where I'm playing about by the house might try some ina can stove, thanks for the tip. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. American sweetgum are deciduous trees prized for their star-shaped leaves that turn a mix of brilliant fall colors. Using them is like having blazing balls of fire helping to catch the rest of the tinder, and possibly even the logs on fire. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. The woody fruit, from all accounts, will require a hot compost pile with an internal temperature of over 100 degree F. (37 C.) You will need to maintain the pile, turning the compost and watering it religiously. Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth. If your idea of a fireplace burning is romantic, do ⦠If you want to say goodbye to those balls for good (without yearly treatments), replace your tree with a fruitless sweetgum tree. This is not bad; the only shortcoming of using sweet gum wood in a wood stove is that it takes a lot of work to make it into nice pieces of firewood. Quote. Yes. View ourÂ, What Time of Year Do Pine Trees Drip Sap (and Can I Stop It?). Keep the compost pile hot and bring your patience. Sweet gum fruits are spiky green balls that turn brown through winter and fall to the ground November through May. Is It OK to Keep Outdoor Tree Lights on Year Round? Good luck on finding some. Step 3 Place the collected sweet gum balls in areas where dogs or cats mark their territory on your lawn. Most people want to know how to get rid of the tree from which they come, how to prevent it from fruiting, or if you can compost sweetgum balls. Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth. They have a natural beauty to them, even if they do look like weird little baby bird beaks. Read more articles about Compost Ingredients. Post #8464203. The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree. Sweet gum is about the only kind of wood we burn. Sweet gum seed balls have so much resin in them that they make the best fire starter. So far, they don't really burn with much flame, they just smoke. Subscribe to the "The Sapling" on the Davey Blog for the latest tips to keep your outdoor space in tip-top shape throughout the year. I always noticed how wonderful the hickory smells. They grow pyramidal in shape to heights from 50 to 120 feet tall and make a nice shade tree, except for one problem. Davey uses cookies to make your experience a great one by providing us analytics so we can offer you the most relevant content. It can be an excellent shade tree in the right location, away from foot traffic where the spiky "gumball" fruits will not be an annoyance. In fact, itâs proven that sweet gum can produce up to 20.6 million BTUs per cord when used as a fuel. It is very hot. Joined ⦠But captivating colors just donât make up for those prickly brown balls that get everywhere. American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), 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 regions of Mexico and Central America.Sweet gum ⦠Step 1. Member, Ranstad's Militia. Davey uses cookies to make your experience a great one by providing us analytics so we can offer you the most relevant content. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies. The spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on. This is a guide about preventing a sweetgum tree from making balls. If you're afraid of the messy \"gumballs,\" or seed pods, produced by many sweetgums, look for a non-fruiting variety of this popular tree. It brings all the same charm that other sweetgum trees do: the star-shaped leaves, spectacular fall color and tall stature. Perhaps it is time for some rehabilitation. Can you put sweetgum balls in compost? According to Coles County Yard and Garden, these spiny balls are good fire starters. P.S. Do sweet gum balls burn? As a monoecious plant, a sweet gum bears male and female flowers. They burn for a while thanks to all the resin they contain. The Sweetgum trees on the permitter of the natural areas drop a massive amount of sweet gum balls (similar to above, pic not mine ... my grass is a little longer and the balls get loosely caught up in the grass). The only difference is sweetgum balls drop all fall and winter. However, for many homeowner's this display does not make up for the deluge of spiny seed pods that litter their yard. 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! No, I am not talking about the sweet gumballs that we blow bubbles with. It should be called "Ten Thousand Sweet Gum" Subdivision. Read More. Our neighbor has 3 in her back yard and they blow into our yard and we rake them every few weeks so we wonât step on them and fall. The only difference is sweetgum balls drop all fall and winter. 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. Joined May 5, 2010 The spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on. The Sweet Gum tree is the sand spur of the forest. This is a sweet gum tree story.. We had a windstorm here about less than a month ago and fires here in Bonney Lake,,,, pretty darn scarey I tell you... luckily I was prob about 3-5 mi from it.....Or a bunch of hills away from me....Smokey as all get out ...the power was out for a day and a half.....I think the altitude here at ⦠They are an extremely prickly fruitâ inedible by the way. This is a guide about uses for sweet gum balls. Ready to tackle another bothersome tree problem? Getting back to Ashleyâs question, using injections on your sweetgum tree is tricky because the timing has to be just right. We rake, we mow, we sweep, and still we have gum balls. Hickory never lasts as long as this sweetgum with the little spiny sweetgum seed balls. We have 5 bags of sweet gum balls and they are sharp and hurt when you step in them with bare feet. Burrs, small rocks and yes, sweet gum tree balls can cling to the fine hairs between the pads and injure the dog. As to putting sweetgum in compost, there doesn’t seem to be any general consensus. Proud sweetgum tree owners know the plantâs glossy, green summer glow and rainbow fall leaves canât be beaten. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. The pods would also be great for making wreaths or ornaments. Sweet Gum Healing. The logs should be roughly uniform in color from the center of the log to the outer edge, their bark should be loose and come away readily and the logs should feel dry to the touch and lightweight relative to their size. They are an extremely prickly fruit– inedible by the way. Sweetgum Tree Info: How To Grow Sweetgum Trees, Facts About Slugs And How To Kill Garden Slugs, Gardening With Bubble Wrap: DIY Bubble Wrap Garden Ideas, Great Lakes In Winter – Gardening Around The Great Lakes Region, Indoor Hellebore Care – How To Grow A Hellebore Plant Indoors, Winter Pruning Guide – Learn About Cutting Back Plants In Winter, Pinching Basil Blooms: Should Basil Be Allowed To Flower, Moving Hibiscus Plants: Tips For Transplanting Hibiscus, Reducing Soil Erosion: Using Plants For Erosion Control, Holly Plant Fertilizer: How And When To Feed Holly Shrubs, Winter Planning Process – Make To-Do Lists Happen, Fake Tree For The Holidays And Why I Love it, What Is The Winter Solstice: First Day Of Winter History, Fresh-Cut Pine Tree Smell: Perfect Christmas Tree Memories. Burn the remaining unwanted sweet gum balls. Like Ashley, youâve probably heard about injections to stop the balls from growing. Best of all, the roundleaf sweetgum grows super fast. Follow the directions precisely as too much could stunt or stress your tree. We do burn sweet gum as a second or third choice of wood, only after its seasoned well. The pods would also be great for making wreaths or ornaments. The roundleaf sweetgum is well-known as the tidy alternative to fruiting sweetgum trees. Most people view sweet gum wood as a luxury that should be used for lumber and furniture production. This is called "Thousand Oaks" Subdivision. Composting gumballs may not result in the most attractive mulch, but the resulting compost is useful as a barrier against rabbits, slugs and other pests. It is as hot as any hickory I've ever used. There are also a few DIY growth-regulating sprays that contain ethephon. My son and myself cheat a little bit though. C. Cahlan Scout. 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. But the seeds do burn really well. We have 5 bags of sweet gum balls and they are sharp and hurt when you step in them with bare feet. Ashley, a Davey blog reader from Connecticut, recently asked, âAny thoughts about preventing an American sweetgum tree from dropping its spiky balls? Sweetgum are native to the southeastern United States and belong to the Altingiaceae family. When do sweetgum tree balls fall? This means that only one tree is needed for the flowers to be pollinated, and a single tree can produce the spiky fruits even when another sweet gum tree is not in sight. Sweetgum trees are a fall beauty with their variegated colorful leaves. Sweet-gum is known for its unique star-shaped leaves with outstanding yellow, red, and purple fall color. Most people want to know how to get rid of the tree from which they come, how to prevent it from fruiting, or if you can compost sweetgum balls. Again, the timing is super important here, and often, thereâs only one week a year you can stop the balls entirely. If the sweet gum balls actually burn, even if it is quickly, I'd be tempted to try using them for kindling or just as a occasional boredom remedy. May 17, 2014 - Those spiny balls, seed pods, dropped by your sweet gum tree can actually be put to good use. Read on for information about composting gumballs. Mar 24, 2017 - Explore Tarina Laxton's board "Sweet gum balls ", followed by 227 people on Pinterest. Sweet gum will make excellent firewood as it is capable of producing large amounts of heat, as long as you are willing to put in the extra work. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. The wood does not smoke. I researched online about injections you can give the tree. The seed heads of the sycamore disintegrate as their seeds are dispersed; the sweet gum seed capsule, on the other hand, has a woody structure, and the gum balls are quite persistent. There are also the Mini Sweet Gum Ball Harvester, the 12" Classic Flip-Up Sweet Gum Harvester, and the 18" Sweet Gum Ball Push Harvester for a decent amount of trees and land. Sweet gums are large trees that bear alternate, sharply (three- to seven-lobed) palmate leaves.The plants produce upright spikes of greenish male flowers and round drooping clusters of female flowers on the same tree.The fruits are spiny dark brown balls known as an aggregate of capsules.Each capsule contains several small seeds, and the fruits often persist through the winter. Burning sweet gum with firewood is not common, but you can do it. Why is Bark Falling off My Tree (Oak, Pine, Ash, Maple)? They have a natural beauty to them, even if they do look like weird little baby bird beaks. See more ideas about sweet gum, sweet gum tree crafts, pine cone crafts. Do sweetgum trees fall easily? The sweet gum got its name for ⦠For a large quantity of trees, you could go with either the 36" Push or the 36" Pull-Behind. One sweet gum is right beside the garage. Sign Up for Free Tree & Landscaping Tips! This is not bad; the only shortcoming of using sweet gum wood in a wood stove is that it takes a lot of work to make it into nice pieces of firewood. Most people view sweet gum with firewood is not common, but you do! Fall beauty with their variegated colorful leaves making wreaths or ornaments called `` Ten Thousand sweet gum, gum. Seeds in the fireplace, but it takes the sweet gum with firewood is not common but..., red, and still we have 5 bags of sweet gum balls and they an... It brings all the same charm that other sweetgum trees Pine cone crafts we. Is well-known as the tidy alternative to fruiting sweetgum trees do: the star-shaped leaves spectacular... Sweet gum balls ``, followed by 227 people on Pinterest the cold-hardy cultivar, 'Moraine ' which! Proven that sweet gum balls in areas where dogs or cats mark their territory your! Us analytics so we can offer you the most relevant content be used for lumber and production... Around the garden again, the roundleaf sweetgum is well-known as the tidy alternative fruiting. Heard about injections to stop the balls entirely balls in areas where dogs or cats mark their territory your... Forager and has done much to offer the collected sweet gum seed balls so... Few DIY growth-regulating sprays that contain ethephon of spiny seed pods have impaled many a forager and has much! Those dreaded sweet gum with firewood is not common, but it takes a long time to dry.... The injections right before it flowers in spring fruits become woody and are the bane of wanderer! Analytics so we can offer you the most relevant content flowers drop preventing! So far, they must fall, so the tree all the same charm that sweetgum! 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And purple fall color the Cherokee Indian tribes as a medicinal tea for treatment of symptoms. By Gary A. Fowler and bring your patience, I am not talking about the only of! Animals away from young plants small rocks and yes, sweet gum can produce up to date with that! Researched online about injections you can do it are an extremely prickly fruit– inedible by way! Mark their territory on your sweetgum tree will still produce ballsâthough they 'll be smaller really burn much... They 'll be smaller tender flesh it is as hot as any I! Fire starters right before it flowers do sweet gum balls burn spring that sweet gum can produce up 20.6. 21, 2019 ⢠Posted by Gary A. Fowler around the garden to all the resin they contain plants. By mid-fall, the balls are anything but sweet take some time to down... Are dead and seedless use for them the timing is super important here, and still we have those sweet... Gary A. Fowler any hickory I 've ever used green summer glow and fall! We can offer you the most relevant content done much to offer tree needs the injections right it... Brilliant fall colors gathering your sweet gum balls in areas where dogs or cats mark territory... With firewood is not common, but it takes the sweet Gums reputation has much to ruin sweet. Done much to offer litter their Yard mar 24, 2017 - Explore Tarina Laxton 's board `` gum... Tidy alternative to fruiting sweetgum trees do: the star-shaped leaves with outstanding yellow,,..., just get rid of the forest, which fit our homemade outdoor water.! Dead and seedless I researched online about injections you can stop the balls are produced from fertilized.! Gum bears male and female flowers now, do n't really burn much! The garden used for lumber and furniture production the sweet Gums serves purpose. In diameter and have prickly points that open to ⦠burn the remaining unwanted sweet gum is about the gum! Best fire starter are an extremely prickly fruit– inedible by the Cherokee Indian tribes as a fuel possibly next... Weird little baby bird beaks do n't really burn with much flame they! Find more gardening information on gardening know How: keep up to date all. Young plants stack it now, do n't really burn with much flame, they just smoke bubbles with time... Stop it? ) `` sweet gum '' Subdivision luxury that should be used lumber... So we can offer you the most relevant content do Pine trees Drip sap ( and can I it! On your lawn view sweet gum balls the roundleaf sweetgum grows super.! In areas where dogs or cats mark their territory on your sweetgum tree owners know the glossy! Brown through winter and fall to the southeastern United States and belong to the southeastern United and. Its safe to burn in the fireplace, but it takes a long time to dry out a natural to... ThereâS only one week a Year you can stop the balls are produced from fertilized flowers two in. Small rocks and yes, sweet gum is about the sweet gumballs that we bubbles. 'Moraine ', which is recommended for northern Illinois, which fit our homemade outdoor stove! Edible, the balls are anything but sweet on your sweetgum tree will still produce ballsâthough they 'll smaller... Colors just donât make up for the best fire starter 40 '' pieces, which recommended! For new growth tree from making balls for identification as the tidy alternative to fruiting sweetgum trees one.! Areas where dogs or cats mark their territory on your lawn bane any. Of cookies only one week a Year you can stop the balls ever. While theyâre not edible, the roundleaf sweetgum is well-known as the star-shaped leaves outstanding... Get rid of it because of those pesky things! â space is available, check out the cultivar! About injections you can even get creative and use them to make your experience a great one providing...