liquid amber trees

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mudskipper Wilmington, NC May 07, 2008

Recently purchased some acreage which has many liquidamber styraciflua trees on the lot. I've been informed that there may be a spray or some other chemical that can be applied to discourage the spike ball fruit from producing on this tree. I would appreciate any information. Thanks

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) May 07, 2008

There are sprays you can buy that work on several different types of trees to prevent fruit/seed (I've never used them so I don't know any brand names, I just know they exist). There are a couple "catches" though--you need to spray when the tree's in full bloom for best results (and since sweetgums don't have really showy flowers it may be hard to tell when it's in full bloom). And you need to spray the whole tree, and since sweetgums tend to be rather large that might be a bit tricky.

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peachespickett Huntington, AR May 07, 2008

Here's a little info
Ornamental trees sometimes produce fruit that is objectionable when it matures and falls to the lawn or street. Chemical sprays remove the blossoms and prevent fruit set without injury to the trees. A spray of naphthaleneacetic acid, 20 p.p.m., applied to the flowers of horsechestnut prevented production of burs, which litter the lawn and damage mowers. The same treatment applied to mulberry eliminated the purple staining of clothes and streets from the ripe fruits otherwise produced in abundance.

Horace V. Wester, of the Department of the Interior, and Paul C. Marth, of the Department of Agriculture, prevented growth of the vile-smelling fruits of ginkgo trees in Washington by spraying them with 250 p.p.m. of 3-chloro-isopropyl N-phenyl-carbamate (Chloro IPC) at blossom time.

Doesn't sound too fun. Ecrane's right, this is a hard thing to do, and I can't imagine that those chemicals in the large amounts you would need to spray sweetgums would be economical or even safe, spraying up into the air, where drift could cause problems for a ways downwind. If I could I'd be spraying the dang winged elms, there are millions of seedling coming up in any dirt they can find. Good luck!

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mudskipper Wilmington, NC May 07, 2008

Thanks guys, your response was very helpful.

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