Poisonous Sweet Gum Tree Balls

Sweet gum is one of the main valuable forest trees in the southeastern united states and is a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates.

Poisonous sweet gum tree balls. The tree s dark grayish brown twigs bear unusual corky ridges that lend the tree a peculiar angularity. It is recognizable by the combination of its five pointed star shaped leaves and its hard spiked fruits. On this early spring day the tree is still a skeleton although leaf buds are just beginning to emerge and dozens of sweet gum balls dangle from its naked branches like shriveled christmas tree ornaments. Chemical treatments however can stop a tree s fruit production which keeps the lawn free of that litter.

Fill to the top with alcohol such as vodka or pure grain alcohol and let it steep for 6 weeks. Some folks have experimented with just gathering the infertile seeds from opened balls which is time consuming. Additionally the sweet gum s spiky gum balls hang conspicuously from the tree s smaller. The only edible part of the tree is the dried sap which makes a fragrant bitter chewing gum.

Find an instructional recipe here. On our typical route there are 3 trees that bear these weird little balls. Despite these nuisances we always slow down to take a look and to collect the unusual alien balls we always end up with. This plant s genus.

The sweet gum tree is the sand spur of the forest. Sweet gum is hardy in u s. Sweet gum trees also have unusual fruit. In 2015 the city of chesterfield branded the trees a nuisance and hazardous which required homeowners to maintain a ball free path on the sidewalks and part of the street the trees may be beautiful but sweet gum balls are known to block up sewer inlets and many complain about tripping and falling on them.

To tincture sweet gum simply gather green unripe sweet gum balls cut them up or smash them with a small hammer and place them in a quart jar. Summer shade and vibrant fall leaf color are merits of the sweet gum tree liquidambar styraciflua. The vicious seed pods have impaled many a forager and has done much to ruin the sweet gum s reputation. I ve twisted my ankle on them more than once.

In a few weeks the sweet gum s glossy green leaves five pointed stars. Round spiny fruits or balls that litter the ground making a simple walk across the yard a precarious one. A forty foot tall sweet gum tree rises from the northeast corner of my back yard. You painfully find them with your feet.

She always is trying to eat something but now she s very lethargic and is drinking lots of water. Perhaps it is time for some rehabilitation. It is currently classified in the plant family altingiaceae but was formerly considered a member of the hamamelidaceae. They are hard round balls about 1 1 2 inches in diameter and covered with sharp little bristles that can hurt a dog s paws.

I think my dog has eaten some sweet gum balls from a sweet gum tree. I think she may have ingested them this morning. When i m pulling a wagon full of kids they can make travel difficult. She s a flat coated retriever about 75 lbs.

Are these things harmful to dogs. Despite its name the gum is not sweet. The tradeoff for these perks is a source of aggravation for some gardeners. It s called sweet.