Poisonous Sweet Gum Tree Balls

Additionally the sweet gum s spiky gum balls hang conspicuously from the tree s smaller.

Poisonous sweet gum tree balls. Are these things harmful to dogs. Perhaps it is time for some rehabilitation. She always is trying to eat something but now she s very lethargic and is drinking lots of water. She s a flat coated retriever about 75 lbs.

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. It s called sweet. Despite its name the gum is not sweet. 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.

The only edible part of the tree is the dried sap which makes a fragrant bitter chewing gum. Simon has crashed his bike more than once when his front tire hit one. Find an instructional recipe here. A forty foot tall sweet gum tree rises from the northeast corner of my back yard.

The tree s dark grayish brown twigs bear unusual corky ridges that lend the tree a peculiar angularity. Sweet gum is hardy in u s. The sweet gum tree is the sand spur of the forest. Sweet gum is one of the main valuable forest trees in the southeastern united states and is a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates.

Some folks have experimented with just gathering the infertile seeds from opened balls which is time consuming. Sweet gum trees also have unusual fruit. Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. I ve twisted my ankle on them more than once.

It is recognizable by the combination of its five pointed star shaped leaves and its hard spiked fruits. Fill to the top with alcohol such as vodka or pure grain alcohol and let it steep for 6 weeks. The tradeoff for these perks is a source of aggravation for some gardeners. I think my dog has eaten some sweet gum balls from a sweet gum tree.

Chemical treatments however can stop a tree s fruit production which keeps the lawn free of that litter. This plant s genus. I think she may have ingested them this morning. 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.

Summer shade and vibrant fall leaf color are merits of the sweet gum tree liquidambar styraciflua. 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. The vicious seed pods have impaled many a forager and has done much to ruin the sweet gum s reputation. On our typical route there are 3 trees that bear these weird little balls.

It is currently classified in the plant family altingiaceae but was formerly considered a member of the hamamelidaceae. You painfully find them with your feet. In a few weeks the sweet gum s glossy green leaves five pointed stars. When i m pulling a wagon full of kids they can make travel difficult.