Pat from Lubbock, TX Answer: Pat, Sweet Gum trees are considered to have a medium to fast growth rate. 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. A vertical growth rate of 25" or more a year is considered fast. The spiky clusters are actually balls of fruit with tiny seeds inside that birds and squirrels snack on. A: The spiky seed pods of the sweetgum tree are a nuisance to many gardeners. It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. The sweetgum is a valuable commercial hardwood, second in production only to oaks among the hardwoods. It is best known for its thorny seed pods that are about the size and shape of a candy gum ball. The only difference is sweetgum balls drop all fall and winter. By mid-fall, the balls are dead and seedless. 2. The spiky seed pods from the sweetgum tree are not only fascinating to look at, they can actually help out in the garden. The seeds of the sweetgum are eaten by birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. Fruit: a peculiar spiny ball, golfball-sized, that persists through winter on the tree; it is actually a round head of beaked capsules, each capsule containing one to several hard black seeds (winged or unwinged). The wood of sweetgum is used for many purposes, particularly veneer, furniture, flooring, interior trim, and woodenware. 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. Lay the seed pods around young plants to deter snails and slugs who would rather not tangle with them. The seed pods have a hard exterior with sharp spikes while growing and when they fall from the tree. 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. The chemical ethepon (Florel) releases ethylene gas when it is sprayed onto the tree branches while sweetgum flowers are present in spring. The sweet gum is a large tree that often grows up to 100 feet tall. Human Use. Dark green in summer, turning yellow to deep red in fall. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. Hardiness Zone: 7a. Just like leaves, they must fall, so the tree can prep for new growth. I need advice on how to grow sweet gum trees. https://www.pinterest.com/beckyblue65/sweetgum-tree-seed-pods 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. 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