By Rob Paratley. The genus name refers to the viscous resin, literally liquid amber- liquidus and ambar. American Sweetgum In Appalachia, a concoction of the resin mixed with whiskey was chewed to clean teeth, heal gums and mouth lesions, or to relieve toothache. How To Use Sweetgum Balls for medicinal purposes. Sweet gums sticky sap rapidly seals over bark wounds, drying and forming a protective scab, and the flow of the sticky, aromatic stuff can deter burrowing insects and herbivores. Then, the flowers drop, preventing the balls from ever forming. The Impact of Selected Essential Oils Applied to Non-Woven Viscose on Bacteria That Cause Lower Urinary Tract Infections-Preliminary Studies. That tradition really comes from West Africa. The trees spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. The long-persisting fallen spiked fruits can be unpleasant to walk on; sweet gum is banned in some places for this reason. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. In 2020 alone, purchases on Etsy generated nearly $4 billion in income for small businesses. gardngrim@gmail.com With a slow decomposition rate, sweet gum balls provide long-lasting ground cover, blocking out sun and preventing weed germination. The Euroamerican settlers adopted many of the Indian uses for sweetgum, either through observation of native practices or discovered independently. Yes! (15% off), Sale Price $7.22 2021 Nov 13;26(22):6854. doi: 10.3390/molecules26226854. Lovely article :) Some people actually want these things! Sycamore. With powerful tools and services, along with expert support and education, we help creative entrepreneurs start, manage, and scale their businesses. 20. Original Price $8.50 More on Sweet Gum: Eat the Weeds with Green Deane: Sweet Gum Tree. Silvics of North America. An official website of the United States government. We do not recommend consumption of herbs and we are not responsible for any use of herbs . Eastern Remedies for Western-type diet induced atherosclerosis. Under Add your personalization, the text box will tell you what the seller needs to know. Have you ever noticed that sweet gum leaves gradually change shape over the summer? It can be an excellent shade tree in the right location, away . Habitat Emptying the basket is a breeze as well. Sweet gum balls ("Witches Burrs" or "Witches Balls") are apparently a traditional American Hoodoo magical item. I have 4 HEALTHY sweet gum trees in my yard, and I get some good exercise (walking) using it, saving my back, shoulders, hands, and time by NOT using a rake. Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: Detailed information can be found in Etsys Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy and our Privacy Policy. This listing is for either 1, 3, 5, or 7 witch's burrs. The neighborhood was never the same after that, it still saddens me that anyone would destroy of a tree of such magnificent size and beauty. In fall, sweet gum leaves turn a variety of colors, contributing greatly to fall color in communities. Ancestral and Earth Wisdom, Land Alignment. Mind you, it tastes rather bitter. Henriette's Herbal Homepage on Liquidambar. MeSH Sweet gum balls are great for protection and banishing and they add great power to any spell or intention. 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. Directly to your inbox. For magic, people use stuff like black cat bones, graveyard dust, fingernail clippings. Sure, sweet gum trees aren't as majestic as oaks, or as pretty as birch, or as tasty as maple (syrup anyone? HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. From April 2005 to October 2006, gynecology and obstetrics, in the 92th Hospital of Peoples Liberation Army, used sweet gum ball to treat 44 cases of postpartum breast distension and the curative effect was quite satisfactory. It has beautiful finely toothed leaves which colour to shades of red, orange and purple during Autumn putting on a spectacular show. In Kentucky, the tree is found throughout the state, but is scarce in the Bluegrass and on alkaline soils generally. There are so many great uses for the Sweetgum Balls! In the European timber markets it is known for some unknown reason as satin walnut. Sweetgum is a native southern tree, widespread in riparian areas, swamp margins, and moist ravines. Original Price $5.00 Learn about the many ways to use these s. And its medicinal properties called on in medicines like Tamiflu. The sweet gum trees we have are quite tall and very prolific. Learn about the many ways to use these spikey balls. Great! In parts of the deep South it is called alligator wood, gum tree, or incense tree. Click Buy it now or Add to cart and proceed to checkout. 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. The tree ranges between 80 to 150 feet in height. 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. The branchlets are pithy, many-angled, winged, and at first covered with rusty hairs, finally becoming red brown, gray or dark brown. I was very distressed a few years later when I learned that they had cut the massive tree down to build a parking lot in its place. The chemical breaks down into ethylene, a naturally occurring compound that sweet gum produces when under stress. Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Healing, spirituality, enchantment, enlightenment, meditation, leadership and protection. . Use them in the bottom of planters as the drainage filler instead of stones. Leaves are alternate, simple, star-shaped, with 5 (sometimes 7) lobes, 36 inches wide, deeply lobed; margin toothed, tips long-pointed; leaves slightly aromatic when bruised. Fill to the top with alcohol such as Vodka or Pure Grain Alcohol and let it steep for 6 weeks. Bark is brown to gray, very rough with deep grooves and narrow, slightly scaly ridges. The American sweetgum is often planted as a street tree in suburban areas, but it also can tend to form thickets within forests. Though they can be murder on bare feet if they fall before softening, these brown spiky balls are popular in arts in crafts and also, apparently, in magic. Although it produces small clusters of inconspicuous flowers in the spring, it does not (usually) set fruit. In the same family as witch hazel, the sweet gum tree is uniquely american. Fuel for Fire. There is even piles of salt in windowsills. Sweet Gum. They are considered a powerful protection amulet. Sweetgum salves have a minor antiseptic value, but work well as an anti-inflammatory. Sweetgum trees are large, deciduous trees found in Asia and North America. It thrives well in both acidic soil and alkaline soil, and ponds and streams are its predominant areas. Like Noah suggested, you can always throw them in your compost for some much needed brown material. Green or unripe seed pods are high in a substance called shikimic acid, which is used as an antiviral both in herbal medicine and in commercial drugs like Tamiflu. Was this a voodoo ritual? Captcha failed to load. Its also home to a whole host of one-of-a-kind items made with love and extraordinary care. Get Your Gods and Goddesses apparel today! Flowers form in spring followed by spiky, woody, ball-like fruits which hang from the branches. You can make all kinds of things like crafts, tea, and Tamiflu! 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. The star anise pod is about 7% shikimic acid, the pine needles 3% and the Sweet Gum 1.7% to 3%. Then, I used pruning shears to cut my skewers down to size to . In traditional North American Indian medicine, the resin and inner bark were used to treat diarrhea, and, topically, as a salve for wounds and skin irritations. As an infused oil (leaves, stems, inner bark) can be used in making salves for mild aches and pains such as sore muscles. Wenger KF. Twigs are reddish- or yellowish-brown becoming gray, aromatic, often with corky wings on second-years growth; pores raised, dark. Your timing must be perfect. 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. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. Modern chewing gum is composed of gum base, sweeteners, softeners/plasticizers, flavors, colors, and, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating. 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. Overview More Information Care Knowledge Cultivars Sweet-gum is known for its unique star-shaped leaves with outstanding yellow, red, and purple fall color. There was no mention however as to how well it thrives there. Liquidambar styraciflua This shallow root system can sometimes be a problem with older trees that grow in areas of the country that experience high winds or flooding problems and I have seen these trees ripped from the ground during tornado season and during storms that contain straight line winds. The substances people use are really different. The five lobed star-shaped leaves often confuse people who think it may be a maple . Its texture is reminiscent of rubber because of the physical-chemical properties of its polymer, plasticizer, and resin components, which contribute to its . Sweet gum balls. We have a sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in the front yard. There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. The name Eucalyptus, being derived from Greek EU - well - kaluptos - covered, a clear reference to its unique flowers. Always seek theadviceof your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding amedicalcondition or use of herbs or plant materials for medicinal use. DISCLAIMER. I have been very excited to learn about their medicinal properties and how to use them. Recent references from organic websites have noted that the inner bark of sweetgum, boiled with milk, can relieve diarrhea, and oils from the leaves of sweetgum trees have antimicrobial properties against both bacteria and viruses. In addition to the potential medicinal uses of sweetgum extracts, the extracts of the sap possess antifungal activity against various phytopathogenic fungi and have been effective treatments for reducing nematodes and the yellow mosquito, Aedes aegypti, populations thus highlighting the potential of these extracts as environment-friendly pesticides and antifungal agents. Make the investment in . 3 Fizzing Whizzbees Make People Levitate. Enter your email address below to receive AGrowingGarden.com posts by email:Delivered by FeedBurner, The Incredible Beauty of Crepe Myrtle Bark. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help To do this, place a dollop of glue on each ball and firmly but gently press it on the wreath to ensure it adheres. This is a conical shaped tree which becomes rounded with age. Made into wreaths. There is a wealth of research about the medicinal properties but limited video related to how to prepare them, but I did find one very simple video that shows how to make tincture with the green gum balls which I have provided the link to below. They are considered a powerful protection amulet and are used for protection on altars, in witch bottles and in spirit bags. 4. 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. Vol. Share Tweet. For the best chance of stopping the sweetgum balls, hire a certified arborist. Ever since I was a little girl, living here in the Southern States, I have been surrounded by Sweet Gum Trees. The flowers are unisexual and greenish in color. I believe Mastiff and Snipper are injection. Please enter the answer to 1 + 1 below. When the balls would fall off the tree in Autumn , it would be quite difficult to walk under the tree and if you were not careful, you would fall , it was like walking on golf balls. Also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum. Liquidambar, Sweet Gum. There are four species of sweetgum including Liquidambar orientalis L. (L. orientalis), Liquidambar formosana Hance (L. formosana), Liquidambar styraciflua L. (L. styraciflua), and Liquidambar acalycina (L. acalycina) worldwide. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your green witch journey. Native Americans also used storax for medicinal purposes, including controlling coughs and dysentery and treating sores and wounds. 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. Original Price $2.99 Before 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. While the Muggle version of this candy only makes the consumer feel a constant popping in their mouth, the magical version makes them float a few inches from the ground. The reason? I actually only recently learned that the sweet gum balls had magickal attributes to them, and I feel I shouldn't be surprised since just about every single plant has it's medical and/or magickal properties. Extracts from sweetgum seeds have anticonvulsant effects, which may make them suitable in the treatment of epilepsy. where is all the lysol? 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. I checked it out and was amazed to find that people actually pay money for sweet gum balls! Witch's Balls, Sweetgum Balls for Crafts or Magick 5 out of 5 stars (310) $ 0.45. 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. [Last cited on 2008 Nov 10]. My mother bought it for me as a birthday presentI cant remember which birthday, and that probably means it was quite some time ago. 4005. The American Sweet Gum branches and branchlets may have distinctive corky ridges. A decoction from the inner bark is traditionally (Cherokee) used to calm the nerves. There, they sought out a tree with unusual star-shaped leaves and bark resembling alligator skin. This will differ depending on what options are available for the item. Mailing Address: 2764 Pleasant Rd Ste A #10703 Fort Mill, SC 29708. Herbs are sold as curiosities only. Hardwoods; Agriculture Handbook 654. It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. Fill out the requested information. Here's a quick reference guide to the healing, magical, and metaphysical properties of more than 100 trees. I absolutely love the huge sugar maple that is halfway between our shop in town and the farm. Ann Transl Med. The sap, known as storax, has been used for centuries to treat common ailments such as skin problems, coughs, and ulcers. Get started on your magical practice today! 2019 May 23;4(5):8907-8918. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.9b00622. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. The resin is an ingredient of Friars Balsam, a commercial preparation based on Styrax benzoin that is used to treat colds and skin problems. Sweet Gum Balls can be used for protection a variety of ways such as: In oils. According to Articles from Pharmacognosy Reviews : I'm sitting on a crafters gold mine here people! Many kinds of trees share this growth pattern, and they are typically fast-growing trees that often "invade" open areas (elms and willows, for example). The list of value-added products derived from sweetgum trees can be increased by continued research of this abundantly occurring tree. 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. According to the USDA plant database (plants.usda.gov), That is to say, it can help nursing mother boost the milk supply naturally. Storax produced from L. orientalis, or Turkish sweetgum, is referred to as Asian storax while storax derived from L. styraciflua is called American storax. Indeed, many people passionately dislike the fruits, which can clog drains, interfere with lawn mowing, and are painful if stepped on with bare feet. Turning off the personalized advertising setting wont stop you from seeing Etsy ads or impact Etsy's own personalization technologies, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive. 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. It is chewed in the treatment of sore throats, coughs, asthma, cystitis, dysentery etc. 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. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4441155/ Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. Dont see this option? Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Sweet gum is also a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. And you definitely can't walk around near our little piece of "woods" barefoot if you do, you'll be sorry. Spring Flowers of the Sweet Gum Tree - Liquidambar . Posted by Judith at 12:42 PM. Hoodoo practices include folk remedies and magic spells that make use of physical objects believed to have spiritual or supernatural powers. Technical Coordinators. I use these in my potted plants to ward off naughty cats, says another, which sounds like a really good idea to me. 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. (20% off), Sale Price $18.90 Created by Queenbee, Fizzing Whizzbees are candies made out of sherbet, an effervescent powder. There is a ton of information on the medicinal uses, clinical trials and scientific research references that can be found on this site. 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. [Last accessed on 2014 Feb 11]. In the video, a TikTok witch explains how to use sweetgum balls, which are also known as witches burrs due to their supposed spiritual properties.

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