Each sweetgum tree annually drops hundreds of round, prickly seed capsules that can be easy to slip on when walking and are difficult to clean up.
The spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth. The only difference is sweetgum balls drop all fall and winter.
But it's also a hundred year old tree that gives us a ton of shade in the summer, so we didn't want to cut it down. Turns out you can have an arborist come and "neuter" your tree with an agent called "snipper" (seriously). It's safe for the tree and will prevent a majority of the gumballs from forming.
The bark can shed in large slabs, ribbons or smaller pieces. The rest of the species retain the bark and it dries out and accumulates. There are some tropical species that lose their leaves in the dry season but nearly all eucalyptus trees are evergreen, retaining the leaves throughout the year.
Sweet gum trees have brittle limbs that break and fall unexpectedly.
Other folks dislike the tree because it doesn't make good firewood, since it is difficult to split and rots quickly. Likewise, some woodworkers aren't fond of sweetgum because the wood is difficult to dry straight and unsuitable for carpentry work.
Every year, the tree trunk expands, putting on weight, laying down fibre and it grows an extra layer of bark. The outer, older layer is then shed.
Preventing Leaf Drop
Watering your White Gum Tree correctly is crucial for its health. The frequency and amount depend on the tree's size and the local climate. Watch for signs of overwatering, like soggy soil and yellowing leaves. Conversely, underwatering can lead to wilting and browning leaf edges.
It could also just be a specific species that tends to shed more heavily, including American sycamore, silver maple, redbud, London planetree, bald cypress, some eucalyptus species, crape myrtle, and some birch species. In some cases, bark loss can also indicate a problem.
“A large number of medium and large trees drop branches but Eucalyptus (gum) trees are one of the most common Australian genus to do so, and in South Australia, River Red Gums (Eucalyptis camaldulensis) and Sugar Gums (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) are the most susceptible.
If you're up for some experimenting, sweet gum balls can be used to make a tea from boiling the young green seeds. The resulting decoction is known for its antiviral properties and can be used as a preventative measure against sickness, or as a remedy for the flu (consult your doctor if symptoms persist).
Raking with a close-teeth rake and bagging is an efficient way of getting rid of the balls.
Most of the imazapyr based herbicides do a great job of killing sweetgum trees!
Unfortunately, the entire tree must be sprayed each year and spraying at the right flower stage is critical. Most people find the effort too difficult. If you decide to try, you can purchase ethepon (click for sources) . Snipper is an injectable product that de-balls a sweetgum.
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.
Sweet gum roots are highly invasive, often growing near the soil surface and damaging sidewalks, pavements, and other infrastructure. The species also produces prolific hard, round fruits that litter the ground and are often a tripping hazard. Sweet gum trees have attractive fall foliage. Sweet gum fruits.
Here are some examples to get you started: Paper Bark Maple: Bark that peels like paper. Shagbark Hickory: Distinctively shaggy bark with strips peeling away from the trunk.
Discover evergreen trees such as Arborvitae, Leyland Cypress, Holly, and Fir for privacy with long-lasting interest, perfect for creating serene, green spaces in your garden all year round.
One by one, from late fall steadily through the winter, most of the dried out gum balls, long since deprived of their seeds, will drop from the Sweet Gum's branches. The bark of the Sweet Gum, sometimes called Alligator Wood. Liquidambar styraciflua gets its name from the resin the tree produces.
Eucalyptus trees are fast-growing. As they grow, their outer bark becomes stretched and strained. Shedding the old, dead bark allows the tree to accommodate its increasing girth and to continue growing.
Gumtree scale insects form large colonies and cluster on stems, branches and leaves. They can cause defoliation, affect tree form and development, and weaken trees. They can be a significant pest in young eucalypt plantations.
Sweetgum resin has a pleasant odor and is used commercially for flavors, fragrances, and in pharmaceuticals. It was once used as a form of chewing gum and used medicinally. Liquidambar styraciflua (translated to “amber resin”) is an apt name for this tree. In fact these aromatic resins are also found in the leaves.
Any sudden swing in temperature can make trees shed bark and crack under stress. Bark falls off after excessive heat, which, like frost damage, strips bark down to the wood. Bark falls off an unhealthy tree, which means you'd see other signs of stress such as cankers, sap, or dead leaves and twigs.
Longevity: In excess of 200 years.