Liquidambar styraciflua

Most people object to spiky sweetgum balls in their yards, but they're valuable to wildlife as a winter food source. One of North Carolina's most common native trees, sweetgums begin producing fruit when 20 to 30 years old. Gum balls turn from green to brown as they ripen in the fall. Close inspection of ripe fruit reveals numerous oddly shaped holes, each of which contains one or two tiny, winged seeds that are dispersed by wind. Look up and you may see chickadees or titmice hanging upside down on the gum balls as they eat seeds.

Cool Links:

Sweetgum page on the Study of Northern Virginia Ecology website.

Sweetgum Could Lessen Bird Flu Drug Shortage - Medical News Today.

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