Who knew?! Common name: 'Slender Silhouette' American sweetgum Botanical name:Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’ Foliage: Deciduous, star-shaped. The sweetgum is a valuable commercial hardwood, second in production only to oaks among the hardwoods. Seed-filled, spiky-textured balls develop and drop in the fall, but not in great quantity. The spiky seed pods from the sweetgum tree are not only fascinating to look at, they can actually help out in the garden. A medium growth rate indicates a tree that has a vertical growth of between 13 to 24" per year. Because a sweet gum tree may grow 80 feet tall and hose-end sprayers typically have a maximum good-pressure range of up to 30 feet, spraying a mature sweet gum adequately is difficult for a homeowner. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. I need advice on how to grow sweet gum trees. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. It is best known for its thorny seed pods that are about the size and shape of a candy gum ball. The chemical ethepon (Florel) releases ethylene gas when it is sprayed onto the tree branches while sweetgum flowers are present in spring. The trees’ spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. The seed pods can create new seedlings spreading the tree in late saplings. In spring the sweet gum tree will get pale green flowers that will develop into the round and spiky shaped seed pods giving the tree more character. The seeds of the sweetgum are eaten by birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. Flower: Inconspicuous white flowers in spring. The only difference is sweetgum balls drop all fall and winter. Pat from Lubbock, TX Answer: Pat, Sweet Gum trees are considered to have a medium to fast growth rate. https://www.pinterest.com/beckyblue65/sweetgum-tree-seed-pods It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. A vertical growth rate of 25" or more a year is considered fast. Dark green in summer, turning yellow to deep red in fall. A: The spiky seed pods of the sweetgum tree are a nuisance to many gardeners. Human Use. Sweet Gum Healing. The sweet gum is a large tree that often grows up to 100 feet tall. While these can be annoying to find around your yard or to step on, there are quite a few crafts that can be made from the seed pods with a little creativity and a few supplies. Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth. The sweet gum got its name for … The wood of sweetgum is used for many purposes, particularly veneer, furniture, flooring, interior trim, and woodenware. Hardiness Zone: 7a. 2. It is theoretically possible to eliminate the balls each year but it is a difficult process. Do they grow fast? Go out with a bucket and fill it with seed pods, and in the spring you may just use some: 1. 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