Holiday Crafts With Sweetgum Pods

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Amy Dee Stephens

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Photo Credit: Amy Dee Stephens

Create a stunning candle display by simply stacking the pods around it. ider web on your door or window in October. (It looks good from both sides.)

If you have a sweetgum tree, you know the problem it poses – those prickly pods! They cover the ground and make it difficult to walk, not to mention the damage they can cause to lawn mowers.

Don’t know what to do with all those pods? Well, after placing them around those prized plants to ward off the munching rabbits and slugs…and after piling them up to create a great food source for squirrels, chipmunks, finches, mallard ducks, quail, doves and cardinals, you can use the leftovers for crafts. Sweetgum pods make especially great décor for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Before you begin any of the projects below, make sure you pick only those pods that are the least dirty and decomposed. If necessary, shake the dirt off, lightly rinse the pods in water and allow them to dry overnight. To kill off any lingering bugs, bake the pods at a low temperature in the oven, or microwave them for about 20 seconds.

Candle Ring
Materials:
About 20 sweetgum pods
1 pillar candle
Craft or hot glue (optional)

Making a candle ring is incredibly simple, and you’ll love the results. You basically just stack the pods around the base of a candle. (I’d recommend an orange candle in fall or a red one in winter.) Cut the stems off and place the larger pods in a circle around the candle’s base, then stack smaller pods on top to make an upper row. Yes, that’s it. The only big choice you have to make is whether to glue or not to glue the pods. If you’re making a table decoration for a special event, skip the glue and knock out this project in approximately 45 seconds. But if you want to display your candle ring throughout the holiday season (or if you plan to move it for dusting), take the time to secure the pods with glue. As easy and beautiful as this natural decoration is, be careful – don’t let your candle burn too low, or your small flame may turn into a bonfire!

Facts

The American sweetgum tree (a member of the witchhazel family) is commercially grown for its reddish hardwood. The gum resin, also called liquid amber, has a pleasant smell and was once used for medicinal purposes.

Tips

Sweetgum trees are best grown in areas where you won’t have to bother cleaning up the pods – unless you want to use them in crafts. If you love the tree but not the pods, consider the podless cultivar Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Rotundiloba’.
Share these sweetgum craft ideas with your neighbors, and soon they’ll be carting the spiky seedpods away from your lawn by the bucket.

Faqs

Q: What kind of tree produces sweetgum pods, and is it a good tree to grow?
A: American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is a popular ornamental tree because of its star-shaped leaves and flashy fall colors. Although native to Southern states, it grows well in California and New England, too – even tolerating acidic or clay soil with poor drainage.

Resources

Visit Learn2Grow’s Plant Database to learn more about American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua).
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