While I don't go around sporting a pointed hat and flying on brooms, I do have a passion for alternative healing and learning about the medicinal and magical properties of plants. 1953;28:3549. Careers. 22, no. More on Sweet Gum: Eat the Weeds with Green Deane: Sweet Gum Tree. The leaves are dark to medium glossy green and turn bright shades of red, burgandy, purple and sometimes orange or yellow in autumn. Ever since I was a little girl, living here in the Southern States, I have been surrounded by Sweet Gum Trees. The Magical and Metaphysical Properties of Trees - Tess Whitehurst [Last accessed on 2014 Feb 11]. The sweetgum tree balls grow between 1" and 3" (2.5 - 7.5 cm) in diameter. Great! Hung above your doors or in the kitchen. from $0.85. Twigs are reddish . (15% off), Sale Price $7.22 Bookshelf History/Lore Free Rank Up in Khmer Server ABA: 004570720 ID:1443589 - Facebook My mother told me that "crafters" just love sweet gum balls and buy them to use in all kinds of craft projects. Available from: Gilman EF, Watson DG. The former species is an uncommon ornamental in the U.S. The sweet gum trees we have are quite tall and very prolific. However according to Wikipedia, The species was introduced into Europe in 1681 by John Banister, the missionary collector sent out by Bishop Compton, who planted it in the palace gardens at Fulham in London, England. And it's medicinal properties called on in medicines like Tamiflu . The Witchs Burrs or Gum Balls of this particular tree were enormous in size, I dont think I have ever seen another Sweet Gum Tree in my lifetime that has been this size. The lumber has been used for cabinetry, furniture, flooring, and interior finish. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. 20. It can be an excellent shade tree in the right location, away . Sweet gums are native to North America and Asia and are valued as a source of resin and timber. But one easy way to distinguish the two is the spike-covered seed pods that the sweetgum drops all summer long. I hope you enjoy my blog, feel free to email me with any questions, ideas or things you would like to see and Blessed Be. According to Chineseherbshealing.com This listing is for either 1, 3, 5, or 7 witch's burrs. Extracts from sweetgum seeds have anticonvulsant effects, which may make them suitable in the treatment of epilepsy. Available from: Kormanik PP. The name Gum tree originated from the sap excreted from the bark that looks gum like known as manna. Once you have a fruiting tree, an entirely new variety of benefits is available to you. Our global marketplace is a vibrant community of real people connecting over special goods. The Spaniard recognized its similarity to the well-known Asian species (and close kin) that exuded the same resin. I believe Mastiff and Snipper are injection. This name was derived from the tree's innate property of secreting a resin-like substance. Etsy is powered by 100% renewable electricity. Native Americans used an infusion of the bark medicinally for diarrhea and dysentery and also in poultices for cuts, sores, and bruises. The genus name refers to the viscous resin, literally liquid amber- liquidus and ambar. As the resin ages, it solidifies, the form in which it was historically exported in barrels. 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. sweet gum, (genus Liquidambar), sometimes spelled sweetgum, genus of 15 species of deciduous trees, the only genus of the family Altingiaceae. How to Pick Up Sweet Gum Tree Balls and Then Use Them More recently, storax has proven to be a strong antimicrobial agent even against multidrug resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Here's a quick reference guide to the healing, magical, and metaphysical properties of more than 100 trees. Have I mentioned I think they are pure evil? It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. It was a beautiful place where shoes were optional in the summer and most of the tree seed pods that fell in our yard were fun things you could turn into helicopters or pull apart and stick to your nose. Rapper Goonew dead body on display! The chemical breaks down into ethylene, a naturally occurring compound that sweet gum produces when under stress. There was no mention however as to how well it thrives there. Divine theme by Restored 316, Divine Resonance Magic Certification Course. The leaves also contain many of the medicinally active compounds. 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 . Sweet gum wood is a favorite for furniture, and the sap is added to tincture of benzoin and found often in incense. The star-shaped leaves of sweet gum become even more striking in the autumn, when they turn various shades of gold, red, pink, and purple, often on the same tree. It fulfilled these roles for soldiers in the Confederate army during the Civil War. Stored seed requires 1 - 3 months stratification and sometimes takes 2 years to germinate. I can say that I am somewhat a fan of sweet gums. Binder-Free Modification of a Glassy Carbon Electrode by Using Porous Carbon for Voltammetric Determination of Nitro Isomers. The Sweetgum tree is native to the southeastern United States and a member of a genus made up of only six species. In Appalachia, a concoction of the resin mixed with whiskey was chewed to clean teeth, heal gums and mouth lesions, or to relieve toothache. Created by Queenbee, Fizzing Whizzbees are candies made out of sherbet, an effervescent powder. Please enter the answer to 1 + 1 below. Get to Know the Medicinal Uses of Sweet Gum Sap & Fruit Many of the medicinal properties of sweetgum come from storax as well as essential oils extracted from the leaves. Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. (20% off), Sale Price $18.90 Witches Burrs, Witches Balls, and a little Hoodoo - AGrowingGarden.com To enable personalized advertising (like interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. It is a potent anti-fungal and an effective natural pesticide. The seeds of the sweet gum tree are eaten by small mammals like squirrels and chipmunks as well as a number of birds including finches, ducks, quail, chickadees, sparrows, towhees, and Carolina wrens. The Cherokee and other tribes used the resin to calm nervousness. But here are some ideas in case you happen upon a few of these hang in bundles by the doors, windows and mirrors of your home or magickal work space. place on your altar for protection during rituals grind to a powder to add to protection powders and oils (but I recommend using both the powder/oil as well as at least one whole ball in any spell or working you do with powder/oil) pro tip: and no matter what you do with them, if youre using them for a spiritual/ magickal purpose, make sure to cleanse/bless them first and make an offering to the spirit of the sweet gum tree when its all said and done. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal 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! Very sorry. http://www.ntfpinfo.us/docs/other/VirginiaTech2001-SweetgumFactsheet.pdf, http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/liqstya.pdf. 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. View all posts by Garden Grim, Your email address will not be published. Sweetgum | Augusta, GA - Official Website The sap, known as storax, has been used for centuries to treat common ailments such as skin problems, coughs, and ulcers. Darryl Patton at The Southern Herbalist suggests boiling the green balls and drinking the decoction for its anti viral properties. My mother bought it for me as a birthday presentI cant remember which birthday, and that probably means it was quite some time ago. Silvics of North America. Sure, sweet gum trees aren't as majestic as oaks, or as pretty as birch, or as tasty as maple (syrup anyone? Extracts from the sap have shown promise in fighting drug-resistant bacteria and hypertension. Often mistaken for a maple tree, this deciduous tree also has large, five pointed leaves. Sale Price $31.96 Sweetgum Tree Seed Balls The resin is produced by stripping, boiling, and pressing the trees bark. Modern chewing gum is composed of gum base, sweeteners, softeners/plasticizers, flavors, colors, and, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating. The branches carry layers of cork. 10,000-7000 BC). The sweet gum got its name for the resinous sap that results when you score its bark. Bark is brown to gray, very rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges. It is a widely held belief that the infertile seeds of Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) can be tinctured in alcohol to make an at-home Tamiflu substitute [1].. A journal from a conquistador accompanying Cortez recorded observing the Aztec emperor himself enjoying a resinous stick from the tree. It is a large deciduous tree that has a beautiful leaf pattern. In the same family as witch hazel, the sweet gum tree is uniquely american. Many of the medicinal properties of sweetgum are derived from the resinous sap that exudes when the outer bark of the tree has been damaged. Creativity, Father/Daughter Relationships, Personal Power, Tarot. Share Tweet. Learn about the many ways to use these spikey balls. Sweetgums, while quite abundant in North and South America and Asia, died out on the European continent during the Ice Age. Louisiana man drop dead moments after calling woman a Voodoo n*gga b*tch! Then, the flowers drop, preventing the balls from ever forming. According to NaturalMedicinalHerbs.net 2020 Mar;8(6):258. doi: 10.21037/atm.2020.03.39. Use them as mulch (you can't have too much mulch!) (20% off), Sale Price $2.24 Sow it as early in the year as . We do not recommend consumption of herbs and we are not responsible for any use of herbs . Before and transmitted securely. 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 Ball Tree, What To Do? Crafts, Tea, Tamiflu, Who Knew!? Posts: 94. It has many names, including liquid amber or copalm balsam. Sweetgum is a native southern tree, widespread in riparian areas, swamp margins, and moist ravines. It's a narrow but critical window. 5. Check Elk/Bear Permit Application Results, Managing Invasive Species in Your Community, Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants. sweet gum balls, also known as Lu Lu Tong, turn out to be also one of amazing Chinese herbs, which is typically used for the treatment of nettle rash, anaphylactic rhinitis, rheumatic arthritis, bruises, missed menstrual periods, and so on. Backyard Nature: Sweet Gum Mind you, it tastes rather bitter. Hot glue sticks. While this is a simple overview, in my book The Magic of Trees: . Continue adding Sweetgum balls with hot glue until you fill the interior of the wreath. The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree. Gum Tree Spiritual Meaning - Sentient Metaphysics 2001. Applying the balsam to the skin might help with chigger and other insect bites. How To Use Sweetgum Balls for medicinal purposes. (15% off), Sale Price $3.99 People will . 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. The seed balls become noticeable in the late summer and fall as they turn from a shade of green to brown. MeSH We are dedicated to planting trees all over the world! Externally, it is applied to sores, wounds, piles, ringworm, scabies etc. The mildly astringent inner bark is used in the treatment of diarrhea and childhood cholera. Sweet gum is a deciduous, forest-dwelling tree, growing as high as 150 feet, the tree is covered with rough, gray bark; but the branchlets are reddish-brown and often have corky ridges. After all, the sweet gum is born from earth. The witching hour. . You find its magickal properties called on most commonly in american folk magick and african american hoodoo. Dont see this option? Then hot glue the Sweetgum balls to the interior of the wreath. Celebrating the Sweetgum Tree: Liquidambar styraciflua 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. Its antiseptic and antibacterial properties are useful in both contexts. Sweet Gum Healing. But even more fascinating than the fact that crafters are willing to actually pay money for "gum balls" is their apparent use in Hoodoo. Expressing a love of nature in everything we create is a top priority. Faith Mitchell: Gullah Herbal Remedies and Magical Healing Learn more. Make the investment in . Tree Removal. I Never Knew That! --Sweetgum Balls - little*big*harvest 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.