Please enter the answer to 1 + 1 below. Several species are grown as ornamental trees for their showy fall foliage. Frydrysiak E, Kunicka-Styczyska A, migielski K, Frydrysiak M. Molecules. 2. When the seeds mature they turn black, but while they are still yellow they contain shikimic acid, the same ingredient in Tamiflu that was originally harvested only from star anise. In Appalachia, a concoction of the resin mixed with whiskey was chewed to clean teeth, heal gums and mouth lesions, or to relieve toothache. DISCLAIMER. Sweet gum is also a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. They are considered a powerful protection amulet and are used for protection on altars, in . According to Chineseherbshealing.com Sweet Gum trees typically grow to be 60 to 80 tall and 40 to 60 wide and some can easily exceed 100 tall depending on their habitat environment. According to Wikipedia, Hoodoo is a traditional African-American folk spirituality that developed from a number of West African, Native American and European spiritual traditions. There was no mention however as to how well it thrives there. Although it produces small clusters of inconspicuous flowers in the spring, it does not (usually) set fruit. 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. The long-persisting fallen spiked fruits can be unpleasant to walk on; sweet gum is banned in some places for this reason. The flowers typically appear in March to May and persist into Autumn, sometimes persisting into the Winter. Please. My mother bought it for me as a birthday presentI cant remember which birthday, and that probably means it was quite some time ago. Sweetgums are notably absent from magical and herbal tree lore, which derives largely from Europe. Set where you live, what language you speak, and the currency you use. Habitat sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal http://www.ntfpinfo.us/docs/other/VirginiaTech2001-SweetgumFactsheet.pdf, http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/liqstya.pdf. Get started on your magical practice today! Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! This name was derived from the tree's innate property of secreting a resin-like substance. Learn about the many ways to use these spikey balls. ~from Herbal Medicine Past and Present, Volume 2. Washington DC: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; 1990. pp. Ronnie Ugulano. The seeds contained within all those spikes are anticonvulsant and have possible applications for epilepsy. Sweet gum is a popular landscaping tree, though the many spiny fruits can be a problem for high-traffic areas. Sweet gum's indeterminate growth pattern means that even after the spring buds open, the tree grows continuously all season long, lengthening branches and adding progressively deeper-lobed leaves until cool weather slows, shrinks, and stops leaf production. That tradition really comes from West Africa. The bark was used to make an infusion that was used as a sedative for nervous patients and for patients who were well in the day but sick during the night. Sweet gum balls. Archeological research of pre-Columbian Aztecs discovered evidence of a large trade of Liquidambar for incense. Posted by Judith at 12:42 PM. We often played beneath it and I always wondered how old it was and what it must have looked like there years before the neighborhood even existed. I absolutely love the huge sugar maple that is halfway between our shop in town and the farm. Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Healing, spirituality, enchantment, enlightenment, meditation, leadership and protection. The leaves of the sweetgum alternate and have maple-like star shaped leaves. There is even piles of salt in windowsills. Original Price $2.99 . Good news! Made into wreaths. Magical Properties of Sweet Basil | Basil Materia Magicka. In sachets. Storax has medicinal uses dating back to the Aztec Empire during the Paleo-Indian Period (ca. Ever since I was a little girl, living here in the Southern States, I have been surrounded by Sweet Gum Trees. You can make all kinds of things like crafts, tea, and Tamiflu! Its also home to a whole host of one-of-a-kind items made with love and extraordinary care. Making A SweetGum Ball Wreath!#baganut #nutdynastyNut Dynasty is a series of educational videos on the growing and harvesting of nut trees. Sweet Gum trees prefer deep, moist, bottomland soils and grow best in full sun, although some will thrive in partial shade. Healing Depression and Raising the Spirits, Physical Healing, Protection from Legal Difficulties, Transitions, Happiness and Joy, Masculine/Feminine Balance, Clarity, Divine Harmony, Healing, Purification, Boundaries, Getting Stuck Energy Moving, Strength, Healing, Protection, Purification, Spiritual Refreshment. The sweet gum is certainly making a valiant effort to persuade me. In addition to the sap, the leaves, bark, and seeds of sweet gum also possess beneficial compounds such as shikimic acid, a precursor to the production of oseltamivir phosphate, the active ingredient in Tamifluan antiviral drug effective against several influenza viruses. In Kentucky, the tree is found throughout the state, but is scarce in the Bluegrass and on alkaline soils generally. Many northeastern Oklahomans are bewildered to find their lawns covered by sweet gum balls - those spiked seed balls that are fired like golf balls when you try to mow them.May 28, 2013 & 11 questions answered . Sweet gum pods that fall in autumn can also be used as a mulch. :fallen_leaf: :mushroom: :fallen_leaf: :mushroom: :fallen_leaf: Sweet gums, or Witches . Dawn Combs lives in Ohio with her family and is the co-owner of the herbal health farm Mockingbird Meadows, chief soda jerk at her familys unique storefront apothecary called Soda Pharm and the master formulator of their herb- and honey-based products. Shikimic acid is not Tamiflu any more than . Required fields are marked *. Then hot glue the Sweetgum balls to the interior of the wreath. Sweet gum sap has caught the attention of medical researchers, and we know that much of its folkloric uses are now backed with scientific reasoning. Both development strategies optimize growth, survival, and reproduction with the tree's food reserves and environmental challenges. Continue adding Sweetgum balls with hot glue until you fill the interior of the wreath. Get Your Gods and Goddesses apparel today! I love gardens, herbs, plants and all things nature and so I have decided to focus my writing on it, since so many of my friends and family on social media have expressed an interest. It may also have been used as an insect-repellent, although other botanical sources were more effective. Then, I used pruning shears to cut my skewers down to size to . HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. We have loads of color, and Ive been enjoying some of my favorite trees as I drive around the community. Original Price $5.00 For magic, people use stuff like black cat bones, graveyard dust, fingernail clippings. Other folks dislike the tree because it doesn't make good firewood, since it is difficult to split and rots quickly. But, when some of these people referred to sweet gum balls as "Witches Balls" or "Witches Burrs", I figured it would be interesting to look into further it is almost Halloween after all! Sweet gum balls ("Witches Burrs" or "Witches Balls") are apparently a traditional American Hoodoo magical item. Add to Favorites . To begin, trim the long stems from the Sweetgum balls. Keywords: The sap, known as storax, has been used for centuries to treat common ailments such as skin problems, coughs, and ulcers. Spring Flowers of the Sweet Gum Tree - Liquidambar . When the tree is wounded, the inner bark produces a balsam. Foraging Texas: Sweet Gum. Sweetgum is a native southern tree, widespread in riparian areas, swamp margins, and moist ravines. I never thought picking up those darn gum balls would be so much FUN!. http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010 and context= Virginia Tech Non-timber Forest Products Fact Sheet no. The five lobed star-shaped leaves often confuse people who think it may be a maple . Sweet gum is popular for landscaping, prized for its beautiful fall color. By Rob Paratley. . Henriette's Herbal Homepage on Liquidambar. I'm sitting on a crafters gold mine here people! The branchlets are pithy, many-angled, winged, and at first covered with rusty hairs, finally becoming red brown, gray or dark brown. Some people actually want these things! It's a narrow but critical window. A journal from a conquistador accompanying Cortez recorded observing the Aztec emperor himself enjoying a resinous stick from the tree. Cleaning up gumballs can be a problem in residential areas. It can be an excellent shade tree in the right location, away . Weve had just enough rain and moderately warm days that the leaves are easing slowly into the final drop. Added to a witches bottle. Sweetgum Tree Seed Balls The Euroamerican settlers adopted many of the Indian uses for sweetgum, either through observation of native practices or discovered independently. Those partners may have their own information theyve collected about you. [Last cited on 2008 Nov 10]. Many Blessings, Feather. Love those things :)Reply, Never miss an update! The sweet gum got its name for the resinous sap that results when you score its bark. Two more tidbits: The sap is still used to add flavor to smoking tobacco and is also available at the pharmacy as an ingredient in the compound tincture of benzoin. Hardwoods; Agriculture Handbook 654. Sweet gum wood is valued for its attractive, interlocked grain. Would you like email updates of new search results? Bookshelf After the first part dried, I flipped the skewers and painted the other end. 19. The seed burrs are typically 1 to 1.5 spiny balls; they change from green to brown and look like a a vicious mid evil weapon and in fact if you ever get hit in the head by one or step on one in your bare feet, you might come to think of them as Devil Spurs. In: Burns RM, Honkala BH, editors. Divine theme by Restored 316, Divine Resonance Magic Certification Course. Leaves are alternate, simple, star-shaped, with 5 (sometimes 7) lobes, 3-6 inches wide, deeply lobed; margin toothed, tips long-pointed; leaves slightly aromatic when bruised. Just look at the one in my photo above. Fuel for Fire. We also created 2.6 million jobs in the U.S.enough to employ the entire city of Houston, TX! There are so many great uses for the Sweetgum Balls! The .gov means its official. Dont see this option? Those spiky fruits drop on your lawn and are seemingly immune to your efforts to rake or mow them. Another use they find in magick, is that they are believed to focus and augment spiritual power of the spells and rituals. This sign is a list of magic herbs and their magical associations and has been designed to look like a page from a Kitchen Witch's Book of Shadows The sign is 17 inches long by 8 inches wide. Meanwhile, many other kinds of trees exhibit determinate (or fixed) growth: they only produce a set number of leaves per growing season. These differently shaped leaves occur as part of the tree's adaptive growth pattern. Its too late in the season to harvest sweet gum for its flu fighting abilities, but look for the immature pods next year. Sweet Gum bark and leaves have some but the highest concentration is in the infertile seeds. Mind you, it tastes rather bitter. The American Sweet Gum non-showy, monoecious, yellow-green flowers appear in spherical clusters in April-May. Sweet Gum. The Sweetgum tree is native to the southeastern United States and a member of a genus made up of only six species. Available from: Kormanik PP. The Spaniard recognized its similarity to the well-known Asian species (and close kin) that exuded the same resin. Enter here! Noteworthy Characteristics. The bark attaches itself to these in plates edgewise instead of laterally, and a piece of the leafless branch with the aid of a little imagination readily takes on a reptilian form; indeed, the tree is sometimes called alligatorwood. Found something you love but want to make it even more uniquely you? Hung above your doors or in the kitchen. But, apparently in some circles, there is a demand for sweet gum balls. Anti-inflammatory; Liquidambar; antimicrobial; antioxidant; storax; sweetgum. It is chewed in the treatment of sore throats, coughs, asthma, cystitis, dysentery etc. I was gifted these three balls the other day and I know what Im going to do with them. Does shopping on Etsy help support small businesses? Before The first historical reference to the Sweet Gum tree comes from the author and soldier, Don Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who accompanied Cortez in 1519 and was a witness to ceremonies between Cortez and Montezuma, who both partook of a liquid amber extracted from a sweetgum tree. A close relative of this species that occurs in Turkey and Greece, Oriental sweet gum, provides a sap and oil that has been highly valued as an incense, fragrance, and medicine since ancient times. I grew up in a land without sweet gum trees. Liquidambar styraciflua L. sweetgum. The tree grows best in deep, moist soil (it can only tolerate very moderate drought), with a pH no higher than 7. And it's medicinal properties called on in medicines like Tamiflu . The roots of a sweetgum tree have also been known to lift sidewalks if planted too closely. It is rated as a fast growing tree and will tolerate moist soils. Its power and energy lost forever. Storax, also referred to as styrax, is produced by damaging the outer bark of sweetgum trees. Its alternate, serrate, palmately lobed (star-shaped with 5-7 toothed lobes) leaves are dark green and . Using the burs in an alternative way. The taxonomy of the group has been contentious; some species have been ascribed . Posts: 94. Original Price $39.95 Altingiaceae (sweet gums) (formerly Hamamelidaceae). Sweet Gum Trees are cold hardy to zone 5. I use these in my potted plants to ward off naughty cats, says another, which sounds like a really good idea to me. Sycamore. Shipping policies vary, but many of our sellers offer free shipping when you purchase from them. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Skype-calypso7776_2Check out Jenn the Taxidermy Witch a https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoAFybVuL8WeOwGwXCoEO7w t A popular urban tree. (Do not try to give these people a holiday wreath made out of glitter-covered sweet gum balls.). Witch's Balls, Sweetgum Balls for Crafts or Magick 5 out of 5 stars (310) $ 0.45. Sweet gum seed pods, though, are a different story. The sweet gum trees we have are quite tall and very prolific. They are considered a powerful protection amulet and are used for protection on altars, in witch bottles and in spirit bags. Crushed to dress candles [Last accessed on 2014 Feb 11]. Hot glue sticks. It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. PMC Growing Azaleas & Missing our Northern Virginia Yard a Bit . Help me fight spammers! Pozzobon RG, Rutckeviski R, Carlotto J, Schneider VS, Cordeiro LMC, Mancarz GFF, Souza LM, Mello RG, Smiderle FR. Sweet gum resin infused in whiskey "eased consumption". You find it's magickal properties called on most commonly in american folk magick and african american hoodoo. In fact, I had never seen, felt, or heard of sweet gums until well into my thirties when we bought our current property here in southeast Virginia. Hoodoo practices include folk remedies and magic spells that make use of physical objects believed to have spiritual or supernatural powers. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your green witch journey. I have nothing other than disdain for them. The trees spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. Vol. I can say that I am somewhat a fan of sweet gums. Sweetgums, while quite abundant in North and South America and Asia, died out on the European continent during the Ice Age. For the best chance of stopping the sweetgum balls, hire a certified arborist. US Forest Service Fact Sheet ST-358. The compounds found in the extracts derived from sweetgum sap suppress hypertension in mice. Sweetgum trees are important resources for medicinal and other beneficial compounds. You find its magickal properties called on most commonly in american folk magick and african american hoodoo. My mother told me that "crafters" just love sweet gum balls and buy them to use in all kinds of craft projects. (15% off), Sale Price $3.99 2023 Green Witch Living More recently, storax has proven to be a strong antimicrobial agent even against multidrug resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Your email address will not be published. 6. Bark is brown to gray, very rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges. (15% off). Theyre amazing for protection workings, warnings, and getting rid of negativity, she claims.   United States   |   English (US)   |   $ (USD). Available from: Gilman EF, Watson DG. Try using a different browser or disabling ad blockers. She is the author of, The Importance Of Livestock Newborn Umbilical Care, Raise & Market Specialty Poultry For Meat & Profit, Start Collecting & Using The Water On Your Farm, Successful Strategies For Profitable U-Pick Farms, Get to Know the Medicinal Uses of Sweet Gum Sap & Fruit. They are native to Eastern United States, from Southwestern Connecticut to Florida and are also found in the Mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. Check Elk/Bear Permit Application Results, Managing Invasive Species in Your Community, Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants. Harvest the seed capsules at the end of October or November, dry in a warm place and extract the seed by shaking the capsule. Historically, the hardened sap was chewed like gum for pleasure as well as for medicinal purposes. 2020 Mar;8(6):258. doi: 10.21037/atm.2020.03.39. Find an instructional recipe here :http://christianhomekeeper.org/sweet-gum-tincture/. This is because the infertile seeds contain ~6.5% w/w shikimic acid: the chemical used as the starting material for the synthesis of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, which has been used to treat the early stages of Influenza A and B [2 . Some folks have experimented with just gathering the infertile seeds from opened balls, which is time consuming. Liquidambar styraciflua, commonly called sweet gum, is a low-maintenance deciduous shade tree that is native from Connecticut to Florida and Missouri further south to Texas, Mexico and Central America.In Missouri, it typically occurs in moist low woods and along streams only in the far southeastern corner of the state (Steyermark). Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. In the European timber markets it is known for some unknown reason as satin walnut. Was this a voodoo ritual? As the resin ages, it solidifies, the form in which it was historically exported in barrels. Bark is brown to gray, very rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges. Sweet Gum Balls. An amazingly iconic and dominate specimen of Australian flora is the Eucalyptus tree or more commonly known as the Gum tree. Liquidambar styraciflua I'll let you know how the "sweet gum ball hugelkultur" works out. There are so many great uses for the Sweetgum Balls! (25% off), Sale Price $4.25 With all that wildlife enjoying the sweetgum trees I can easily get over the annoying aspect of the sweetgum seed balls. $4.25, $5.00 MeSH The branches carry layers of cork. Here's a quick reference guide to the healing, magical, and metaphysical properties of more than 100 trees. Sweet gum balls are great for protection and banishing and they add great power to any spell or intention. Even with no perfect tree, I would say burn the Sweet Gums. It had knarly roots protruding from the ground that I use to sit on like a bench. Watercolor by Debbie Galant April 2020. . 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. Ancestral and Earth Wisdom, Land Alignment. Flowers Taken internally, liquid-amber has stimulant and expectorant effects. But here are some ideas in case you happen upon a few of these , Apple watts love and hip hop star car accident, https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019. Little did I know that 45 years later, I would be remembering that tree and learning such vital information about the significance of Sweet Gum Trees. It is a kind of native balsam, or resin, resembling turpentine. This Content is for entertainment and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professionalmedical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I have never treated sweet gums so I cant help with more details. The seed balls become noticeable in the late summer and fall as they turn from a shade of green to brown. Finally, I had all my components for creating chive blossoms from the sweet gum tree balls! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The many spiny fruits, however, can be a messy problem for high-traffic areas, and on sloping sidewalks they can even create hazardous footing. Herbs are sold as curiosities only. From handmade pieces to vintage treasures ready to be loved again, Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. Removing the tree permanently by cutting it down is the most effective solution for removing the sweetgum ball problem from your lawn, then following up by replacing it with a . $7.22, $8.50 Is it going out of business? Medicinal use of Sweet Gum: A resin obtained from the trunk of the tree (see Uses notes below) is antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, parasiticide, poultice, salve, sedative, stimulant, vulnerary. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4441155/ Created by Queenbee, Fizzing Whizzbees are candies made out of sherbet, an effervescent powder. According to the USDA plant database (plants.usda.gov), https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47846235caption, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6315721, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4441155/, http://christianhomekeeper.org/sweet-gum-tincture/, http://www.lostcreekwitch.com/98/sweetgum/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidambar_styraciflua, http://www.ntfpinfo.us/docs/other/VirginiaTech2001-SweetgumFactsheet.pdf, https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/sweet-gum, https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/treetalk/ecobot-sweetgum, https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=928, https://hvp.osu.edu/pocketgardener/source/description/li_iflua.html, The Difference Between Addlers Tongue and Adders Tongue, The Difference Between Addlers Tongue and AddersTongue.