As an infused oil (leaves, stems, inner bark) can be used in making salves for mild aches and pains such as sore muscles. Other extracts derived from sweetgum trees have shown potential as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and chemopreventive agents. The sweet gum got its name for the resinous sap that results when you score its bark. The sweet gum tree was to pioneer youth the rustic equivalent of a gum-ball machine. 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 . You can make all kinds of things like crafts, tea, and Tamiflu! It is also used internally for sore throats, coughs, colds, asthma, bronchitis, cystitis, vaginal discharge, strokes, and is it indicated to have an effect on some cancers. Wenger KF. Embark may be foliar also. In addition, another ingenious use of gum balls is for a low breast milk supply. There is a ton of information on the medicinal uses, clinical trials and scientific research references that can be found on this site. Continue adding Sweetgum balls with hot glue until you fill the interior of the wreath. Although sweetgums are prolific and long-lived, they are sensitive to urban sprawl and drought. Hung as ornaments on the yule tree. eCollection 2019 May 31. Sellers looking to grow their business and reach more interested buyers can use Etsys advertising platform to promote their items. 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! Theyre amazing for protection workings, warnings, and getting rid of negativity, she claims. I like. Your timing must be perfect. The first formal appearance of the tree in botanical literature was in the first Spanish-language Mexican herbal in the late 16th Century. Can be made into a witches ball. But one easy way to distinguish the two is the spike-covered seed pods that the sweetgum drops all summer long. Sweetgum tree balls: Gum tree balls on the American sweetgum are coppery-brown rounded spiky capsules. Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Healing, spirituality, enchantment, enlightenment, meditation, leadership and protection. The list of value-added products derived from sweetgum trees can be increased by continued research of this abundantly occurring tree. 877. The roots of a sweetgum tree have also been known to lift sidewalks if planted too closely. Eastern Remedies for Western-type diet induced atherosclerosis. Does shopping on Etsy help support small businesses? 4. 20. Made into wreaths. Meanwhile, many other kinds of trees exhibit determinate (or fixed) growth: they only produce a set number of leaves per growing season. Posts: 94. Captcha failed to load. If that isn't enough, the spiny fruits have been known to cause people to slip and turn an ankle. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. A decoction from the inner bark is traditionally (Cherokee) used to calm the nerves. 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. The sap, known as storax, has been used for centuries to treat common ailments such as skin problems, coughs, and ulcers. They are considered a powerful protection amulet and are used for protection on altars, in witch bottles and in spirit bags. The leaves also have a camphor odor when crushed. Many sellers on Etsy offer personalized, made-to-order items. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. Flowers Hoodoo practices include folk remedies and magic spells that make use of physical objects believed to have spiritual or supernatural powers. This Content is for entertainment and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professionalmedical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. With a slow decomposition rate, sweet gum balls provide long-lasting ground cover, blocking out sun and preventing weed germination. The leaves are 5- to 7- lobed, 4 to 8 long and wide and margins are serrate. The former species is an uncommon ornamental in the U.S. The genus Liquidambar has four species worldwide. The trees' spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. 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. Bookshelf The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Youll see ad results based on factors like relevancy, and the amount sellers pay per click. It can be an excellent shade tree in the right location, away . Itsleaves haverounded lobes. Directly to your inbox. Stored seed requires 1 - 3 months stratification and sometimes takes 2 years to germinate. Then, I used pruning shears to cut my skewers down to size to . There was a problem subscribing you to this newsletter. Your email address will not be published. It may also have been used as an insect-repellent, although other botanical sources were more effective. Lovely article :) Foliage Many Blessings, Feather. More recently, storax has proven to be a strong antimicrobial agent even against multidrug resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In Appalachia, a concoction of the resin mixed with whiskey was chewed to clean teeth, heal gums and mouth lesions, or to relieve toothache. Watch the latest videos about #sweetgumball on TikTok. 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. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. Have you ever noticed that sweet gum leaves gradually change shape over the summer? 2001. Cultivated in landscapes, it is rapid-growing, long-lived, and relatively free from insect pests and disease. According to a North Carolina State University study of sweetgums growing in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, foliage is damaged from phytotoxic levels of troposheric ozone. The city of St. James is called the sweet gum capital of Missouri for its many streets lined with the tree. Receiveweekly shop updates, special offers, new articles, and exclusive content. 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. Sweet gum balls ("Witches Burrs" or "Witches Balls") are apparently a traditional American Hoodoo magical item. Manavalan S, Veerakumar P, Chen SM, Murugan K, Lin KC. Liquidambar styraciflua L. sweetgum. American Sweetgum I'm planning on digging out the topsoil in the low spot (and use it for gardening elsewhere on my property), and I'll rake my plethora of sweet gum balls to fill the hole. Sweetgums are notably absent from magical and herbal tree lore, which derives largely from Europe. 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. It is deeply fissured with scaly ridges. Liquidambar styraciflua Sweetgum. Created by Queenbee, Fizzing Whizzbees are candies made out of sherbet, an effervescent powder. Storax has medicinal uses dating back to the Aztec Empire during the Paleo-Indian Period (ca. I never thought picking up those darn gum balls would be so much FUN!. Its antiseptic and antibacterial properties are useful in both contexts. The magical association with protection seems to have a basis in science. A quick search and there are days upon days of DIY craft projects listed online that include sweet gum balls. 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. The witch advises placing them around the perimeter of your house as a ward or using them in protection spells, wreaths, jars, or amulets. 1953;28:3549. Also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum. However, they will take a long time to compost. National Library of Medicine Extracts from sweet gum seeds have anticonvulsant effects, which may make them suitable in the treatment of epilepsy. $2.24, $2.99 Washington DC: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; 1990. pp. The compounds found in the extracts derived from sweetgum sap suppress hypertension in mice. It thrives well in both acidic soil and alkaline soil, and ponds and streams are its predominant areas. As an ornamental tree, the species has a drawbackthe branches may have ridges or wings that cause more surface area, increasing weight of snow and ice accumulation on the tree. Extracts from the sap have shown promise in fighting drug-resistant bacteria and hypertension. Witches Burrs, also known as sweet gum balls, are used in magick and witchcraft as a folk curio for protection, to remove negativity, and to banish evil or unwanted spirits. Bark October 14, 2022 by jai. Gum Tree. The branches carry layers of cork. Like Noah suggested, you can always throw them in your compost for some much needed brown material. An amazingly iconic and dominate specimen of Australian flora is the Eucalyptus tree or more commonly known as the Gum tree. There is even piles of salt in windowsills. This will differ depending on what options are available for the item. The genus name refers to the viscous resin, literally liquid amber- liquidus and ambar. It fulfilled these roles for soldiers in the Confederate army during the Civil War. Take full advantage of our site features by enabling JavaScript. Modern chewing gum is composed of gum base, sweeteners, softeners/plasticizers, flavors, colors, and, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating. US Forest Service Fact Sheet ST-358. Yes! 2020 Mar;8(6):258. doi: 10.21037/atm.2020.03.39. Fruit matures in SeptemberOctober, persists through winter; light brown, globe-shaped, formed by the union of multiple individual fruits, hard, spiny due to numerous woody, hornlike projections, 11 inches in diameter. -. You've already signed up for some newsletters, but you haven't confirmed your address. Storax, also referred to as styrax, is produced by damaging the outer bark of sweetgum trees. And you definitely can't walk around near our little piece of "woods" barefoot if you do, you'll be sorry. The flowers are unisexual and greenish in color. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your green witch journey. Great! styraciflua translates as flowing with styrax (sweet gum hence the common name). 6. Hoodoo practices include folk remedies and magic spells that make use of physical objects believed to have spiritual or supernatural powers. (20% off), Sale Price $2.24 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. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4441155/ In 2020 alone, purchases on Etsy generated nearly $4 billion in income for small businesses. You can make all kinds of things like crafts, tea, and Tamiflu! 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. 3 Fizzing Whizzbees Make People Levitate. Cinnamic Acid Conjugates in the Rescuing and Repurposing of Classical Antimalarial Drugs. (Do not try to give these people a holiday wreath made out of glitter-covered sweet gum balls.). If you are one of many unlucky owners of a sweet gum tree, then you're probably frustrated with the sw. Indeed, many people passionately dislike the fruits, which can clog drains, interfere with lawn mowing, and are painful if stepped on with bare feet. A journal from a conquistador accompanying Cortez recorded observing the Aztec emperor himself enjoying a resinous stick from the tree. The seeds contained within all those spikes are anticonvulsant and have possible applications for epilepsy.
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