I believe sweetgum would work very well as paneling where each board is free to move unconstrained. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 162, 1660–1668 (2010). They may be available in craft shops in the North, or … From pioneers to modern day children have known how to obtain chewing gum from the Sweet Gum tree. [4] The bark of the Sweetgum tree contains about 1.7 mg/g of shikimic acid. Provide Shelter For Winter Roosting! You’ll have to love the tree for all its other qualities. Let me know what can be done with this wood, it's beautiful! I make over 50... DIY Plastic Plant Tray Holder - Gardening Hack. June 22, 2005. Uses for sweet gum tree: The sweet gum is a perfect choice for parks, large lots, and street plantings (as long as the tree's massive roots are not in the way). Comments: Not to be confused with various Australian species in the Eucalyptus genus that are also referred to as “red gum.” Related Species: None available. The balsam is used effectively externally for wounds and for skin problems. Dawn Combs lives in Ohio with her family and is the co-owner of the herbal health farm Mockingbird Meadows, chief soda jerk at her family’s unique storefront apothecary called Soda Pharm and the master formulator of their herb- and honey-based products. Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) is a drug that is very successful in shortening the duration and severity of the flu. In: Bajaj Y.P.S. The gum has long been harvested and used for chewing gum, but it is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties. wide. The sweetgum is a monoecious species and is pollinated primarily by wind. Back to Top Sweet gum has some surprising uses and it is beautiful in the fall. In high school I got my first job at a garden center where I learned to garden and landscape. Quiet Chickens? For coughs and respiratory congestion due to colds, the gum can be taken for expectoration or for sore throat. Read on to learn the details of these uses of the Sweet Gum tree (with references). There is quite a lot of good wrapped up in this amazing tree. Follow. We’re having a perfect fall in Ohio. We are a husband and wife duo. Production is near an all-time high, and the supply has been slowly increasing because sweetgum grows and reproduces well. [1] – Sutter E.G. Print. The deeply cut grey or … Tetrahedron Lett, 49 (2008), pp. Herb: Sweet Gum Latin name: Liquidambar styraciflua Family: Hamamelidaceae (Witch-hazel Family) Medicinal use of Sweet Gum: A resin obtained from the trunk of the tree (see "Uses notes" below) is antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, parasiticide, poultice, salve, sedative, stimulant, vulnerary. Required fields are marked *. Uses for sweet gum tree: The sweet gum is a perfect choice for parks, large lots, and street plantings (as long as the tree's massive roots are not in the way). That is what I intend to do with the beautiful sweet gum that I have. If you’d like to grow your own sweet gum, first understand that it’s a commitment to a tree that many describe as a nuisance. Who knew?! December 17, 2007 This wreath is made from the seed pods from the sweet gum tree. Uses for Sweet Gum Balls. Please try again. When cut, it exudes a sticky, resinous gum or balsam. Sweet gum trees are found throughout the eastern United States. Liquidambar, commonly called sweetgum (star gum in the UK), gum, redgum, satin-walnut, or American storax, is the only genus in the flowering plant family Altingiaceae and has 15 species. [5] Both of these can be distilled with water. Despite the world demand for liquidambar through the centuries, little was done with the yield of the North American sweet gum tree. link to Composting 102 - Building a Basic Compost Pile, link to DIY Plastic Plant Tray Holder - Gardening Hack, Trees II. Medicinal. 2010 Virginia Natural History Society. Sweet gum is a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. I will never try to use it in tables and furniture where flatness is important. This video is a day late, but it's here. The tree … The resin also serves many medicinal purposes. Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, vol 5. Qualities and Uses for Sweet Gum A small sawmiller sees his first load of Gum wood, and gets advice about its value and how to handle it. Sweet Gum : Medicinal Uses . [8] This includes deer, hogs, goats, and rabbits. It is said to help clear the lungs/sinuses, have somewhat antiseptic properties, and can be used to treat scabies. For external use it is usually made into an ointment with lard or oil. But, for centuries Sweet Gum trees have been used for everything from Chewing gum, lumber, and medicine. Medicinal use of Sweet Gum: A resin obtained from the trunk of the tree (see "Uses notes" below) is antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, parasiticide, poultice, salve, sedative, stimulant, vulnerary. The fruit it bears provides food for many animals including squirrels, wood ducks, whitetail deer, birds, and beavers. It is rated as a fast growing tree and will tolerate moist soils. Email. Cherokee Indians used the inner bark to make a green tea infusion as a sedative to calm nerves. My mother bought it for me as a birthday present—I can’t remember which birthday, and that probably means it was quite some time ago. Welcome to Growit Buildit! Names. The first-known written mention of the American sweetgum dates back to 1519, when the resinous liquid amber was used in ceremonies between Spanish conquistador Cortez and Aztec emperor Montezuma. 2503-2505. It takes the sweet gum tree 20 to 30 years to mature enough to produce its fruit. We have loads of color, and I’ve been enjoying some of my favorite trees as I drive around the community. It is used for its lumber, and is one of the most common sources of hardwood and plywood, but also produces spectacular colors as it drops its leaves in the fall. In the past, this tree has been used for the making of soaps, adhesives, and in medicines, particularly by Native Americans. Forest Sweetgum … p162. While you wait, the tree has much to offer. Sweet gum, a tree of the Witch hazel family (Hamamelidaceae), native of the eastern United States, also Mexico and Central America. A sweet gum is a deciduous tree in the witch hazel family that ranges in height from 60 to 100 feet and has a narrow oval canopy. The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree. The tree is particularly choice when it changes color in fall. Mature leaves are 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 cm.) The sweet gum tree has long been used for medicinal purposes and as a source of hardwood for furniture. Use them in the bottom of planters as the drainage filler instead of stones 6. Sweet gum tree leaves have five to seven pointed lobes, and their shape will remind you of a star. Liquidambar, commonly called sweetgum (star gum in the UK), gum, redgum, satin-walnut, or American storax, is the only genus in the flowering plant family Altingiaceae and has 15 species. Eucalyptus tree Oil produced predominantly by the leaves can be used for cleaning, a natural insecticide, and has therapeutic and medicinal properties. I enjoy designing/building projects (with hand tools when I can!). Sweetgum was mentioned in writing by historians traveling with Cortes who witnessed the Aztecs using sweetgum to flavor the tobacco they smoked. Use a knife to slice to the cambrian layer of bark, and return in a week to collect the dried sap. Your email address will not be published. [5] – Martin, E., Duke, J., Pelkki, M. et al. This is because it inhibits the protein that allows the virus to burst from it’s host cell. The sweetgum produces a resin that can harden and be used for chewing gum as well as medicinal purposes. Sweet gum wood is a favorite for furniture, and the sap is added to tincture of benzoin and found often in incense. Only time will tell. The tradeoff for these perks is a source of aggravation for some gardeners: round, spiny fruits, or balls, that litter the ground, making a simple walk across the yard a precarious one. 0. The first step to making your own compost is to learn and understand how to make a proper compost pile. This is a guide about uses for sweet gum balls. It grows fast for a rapid harvest, yielding lumber and veneer for furniture-making. The trees’ spike ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves. He with a love & extensive self-taught knowledge of NATIVE PLANTS, GARDENING, and woodworking. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.): Extraction of Shikimic Acid Coupled to Dilute Acid Pretreatment. Sweet Gum trees have interlocked grain that will result in potentially high amounts of lumber warping during the drying process regardless of saw method. Splitting sweet gum is without a doubt going to be a challenge. We’ve had just enough rain and moderately warm days that the leaves are easing slowly into the final drop. Historically, in parts of Appalachia twigs would be soaked in water or brandy and then utilized to clean the teeth. Composting 102 - Building a Basic Compost Pile. But in New York City, the sweet gum is a fairly common sight, growing best where there is rich, loamy soil with good moisture. After initial drying, Sweet Gum wood is stable and should not be expected to move much. The Sweet Gum tree has high value to all levels of the ecosystem. Used to treat ringworm. Additionally, there are several species of mushroom that grow on the bark. The name Gum tree originated from the sap excreted from the bark that looks gum like … She is the author of, Stable Root Cellar Conditions Treat Your Vegetables Right, Produce Profile: Growing Sage Is Just Smart, Spotlighting Babydoll Southdown Sheep & Knitted Goods At Timber Creek Farm. Banisteria, Number 35, pages 11-31. Its resin, for which the genus is named, is valuable in incense production and for various medicinal purposes. Tamiflu is distilled from shikimic acid, which is present in the Sweet Gum tree. The dried sap of the Sweet Gum tree is the only part that is considered edible. The downside to growing a sweetgum tree is the seed pods. The lumber from Sweet Gum heartwood has a dark rich color and is often used for speaker boxes and various forms of furniture, cabinetry, or doors [1]. This is a pattern for all you Southern folks that have these seed pods to clean up every fall from your yard. It is used for its lumber, and is one of the most common sources of hardwood and plywood, but also produces spectacular colors as it drops its leaves in the fall. When the seeds mature they turn black, but while they are still yellow they contain shikimic acid, the same ingredient in Tamiflu that was originally harvested only from star anise. I absolutely love the huge sugar maple that is halfway between our shop in town and the farm. The sticky or gummy sap of sweet gums serves a purpose for the tree. Flag. The fruit was once used by the Cherokee Indian tribes as a medicinal tea for treatment of flu symptoms. [3] – A Guide to Medicinal Plants of Appalachia. The wood has a unique reddish brown color with sapwood that's nearly white and black grain running through the hardwood. This can be used as chewing gum. Once you have a fruiting tree, an entirely new variety of benefits is available to you. Thanks for watching! The seeds contained within all those spikes are anticonvulsant and have possible applications for epilepsy. Historically, in parts … The Sweet Gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) has many commercial, medicinal, edible and residential uses. An amazingly iconic and dominate specimen of Australian flora is the Eucalyptus tree or more commonly known as the Gum tree.The name Eucalyptus, being derived from Greek eu – well – kaluptos – covered, a clear reference to its unique flowers. Today, the active ingredient of the infertile sweetgum seeds, which contain high amounts of shikimic acid, is used in the preparation of Tamiflu, but other than that is … It is a potent anti-fungal and an effective natural pesticide. Get to Know the Medicinal Uses of Sweet Gum Sap & Fruit. So, the Sweet Gum tree allows us to have a renewable domestic source of the key ingredient of Tamiflu. Sweet gum, (genus Liquidambar), sometimes spelled sweetgum, genus of 15 species of deciduous trees, the only genus of the family Altingiaceae. These Breeds Are Great For Backyards. I've been growing plants from seed and designing native plant gardens for over six years. Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Resin from the sap of Sweet Gum tree is used in the drug Storax. It is used for a variety of purposes, with furniture, plywood, containers, and pulp requiring the most volume. Save. They are decorative deciduous trees that are used in the wood industry and for ornamental purposes. Common Uses: Veneer, plywood, furniture (speaker/acoustic cabinets), interior trim, boxes/crates, and turned objects. Native Americans and pioneers also used the sap for a number of medicinal purposes. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. Sweet gum wood is a favorite for furniture, and the sap is added to tincture of benzoin and found often in incense. If you have hard, compacted soil that you are trying to amend, dig deep and place a thick layer of the seed pods down to help aerate and drain–cover back up with soil and other amendments The pods would also be great for making wreaths or ornaments. The tree has been busy growing for so many years that it hasn’t really shown us much in the fall. If you’d like to grow your own sweet gum, first understand that it’s a commitment to a tree that many describe as a … You know, the black plastic trays that plants come in? There is error while submitting your request. Copyright © 2020 EG Media Investments LLC. [3]. T. D. Faust, R. H. McAlister, S. J. Zarnoch. Sweet gum is a larval host plant for the beautiful luna moth. This large tree provides shade in the summer, gorgeous orange, red, and yellow leaves in the fall, and is a great privacy barrier. Truthfully, it is probably my favorite fall color. The sweet gum got its name for the resinous sap that results when you score its bark. Extracts from the sap have shown promise in fighting drug-resistant bacteria and hypertension. Those spiny balls, seed pods, dropped by your sweet gum tree can actually be put to good use. Question I bought a new bandmill a few months ago for my own use. The Sweet Gum tree is the sand spur of the forest. They are tall with a lovely ovular shape, commonly reaching heights of 70 feet or more. Sweet gum is hardy in zones 5-9. I have used sycamore successfully as secondary wood like drawer sides. It is not, however, sweet. Along the rivers of the south-eastern United States, Sweet gums exceed 125 ft. in height and 4 ft. in diameter. It’s too late in the season to harvest sweet gum for its flu fighting abilities, but look for the immature pods next year. Trained in ethnobotany, she travels across the country to speak about botanical wellness using functional foods and home health proficiency. I built a barn for a vacation cabin and am using wood I saw to finish it out - hard maple flooring, building my own cabinets, etc. [7] – Traditional Medicinal Plant Use Among Virginia’s Powhatan Indians. The sweet gum is certainly making a valiant effort to persuade me. Native Americans used a decoction of leaves or roots as a wash to treat injuries. Her with a love of HOME DECOR DIY.  We hope to provide you with handy how-tos to start or enhance your own home gardens, as well as provide you with plans on how to make some popular home decor projects, both easily & inexpensively. Hi - I grew up outdoors in nature - hiking, fishing, hunting. I hope to give you some tips and useful information! The sweetgum has a Nahuatl name, Ocotzocuahuitl, which translates to tree that gives pine resin from ocotl (pine), tzotl (resin), cuahuitl (tree), which refers to the use of the tree's resin. Splitting Sweet Gum. The deeply cut grey or … Go out with a bucket and fill it with seed pods, and in the spring you may just use some: 1. The Cherokee utilized the Sweet Gum tree (bark/sap) as a Diaphoretic, Febrifuge, Dermatological treatment and as a general medicine. Sweet gum wood, though, has been another story. This year, however, it has finally come into its own. Menu Ask a Question Share a Post Account Search. The bark has been used to relieve diarrhea and dysentery. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [6] The Powhatan Indians utilized dried bark mixed with bark of Red Oak to make an infusion used to treat dysentery. Six Great Things To Use Sweetgum Balls For: The spiky seed pods from the sweetgum tree are not only fascinating to look at, they can actually help out in the garden. Those spiky fruits drop on your lawn and are seemingly immune to your efforts to rake or mow them. This includes bark beetles, leaf hoppers and others. Ever since the days of the Aztec Empire, the sweet gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) has been of great use. The American sweet gum tree was so named because of the amber-colored, resinous sweet sap that was scraped from the inside of the bark to produce a chewing gum-like substance. The vicious seed pods have impaled many a forager and has done much to ruin the Sweet Gums reputation. Native Americans traditionally used the inner bark and resin to help wounds, sore throats, coughs, and to treat infectious diarrhea. Please let us know a convenient time to call you on, (*All time slots are available in CDT zone.). Sweet gum sap has caught the attention of medical researchers, and we know that much of its folkloric uses are now backed with scientific reasoning. Research has shown that the mechanical properties of Sweet Gum meet or exceed the Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera. Erin E. Morgan, James E. Perry, [8] – A Guide to Medicinal Plants of Appalachia. This one surprised me! I hope to share some of my knowledge with you! Viruses cannot reproduce on their own, and need to find host cells. Many internet sources and people over-complicate the art of making compost. Medicinally today it is used in a lot of common off the shelve products including cough and cold syrups and rubs helping relative congestion. Their fall color lasts much longer than most other trees. The flu, or Influenza is caused by a virus. The sweetgum is a monoecious species and is pollinated primarily by wind. Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, Strength and stiffness properties of sweetgum and yellow-poplar structural lumber, A Guide to Medicinal Plants of Appalachia, Liquidambar styraciflua: a renewable source of shikimic acid, Extraction of Shikimic Acid Coupled to Dilute Acid Pretreatment, A Comparative Study of the Plants Used for Medicinal Purposes by the Creek and Seminoles Tribes, Traditional Medicinal Plant Use Among Virginia’s Powhatan Indians. Either that or make small boxes. In the South Eastern United States, Sweet Gum trees are utilized for lumber and furniture making. No need for fancy tools or big budgets! They reproduce within a host cell, then utilize a protein to burst the cell, releasing many replicates to infect other cells. Enrich et al., 2008. All rights reserved. Infertile seeds of the Sweet Gum tree contain shikimic acid at 2.4-3.7%. I might change my mind about which tree I love the best in fall. Let me know what can be done with this wood, it's beautiful! By Arnold Krochmal, Russell S. Walters, Richard M. Doughty. In this article I will detail what these uses are, and how they are utilized. The height and shape make them great shade trees and beautiful additions to landscape. It did serve as a curative for Confederate soldiers' dysentery, and was harvested during the Second World War when Asian supplies were cut off. Related Articles: None available. We have a sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in the front yard. [6] – Hutton, Kimberly, “A Comparative Study of the Plants Used for Medicinal Purposes by the Creek and Seminoles Tribes” (2010). This one surprised me! The wood can be easily identified thanks to its star-shaped leaves, which usually consist of five points and spiked fruit. We like to reuse plant 'flats' that you get from garden centers. Gum Tree Gum Tree Spiritual Meaning and Medicinal Uses. Our experts will call you on your preferred time. Better Than Wild Bird Feeders? Sweet gums are native to North America and Asia and are valued as a source of resin and timber. This plant's genus name Liquidambar was first given by Linnaeus in 1753 from [the Latin] liquidus, fluid, and the Arabic ambar, amber, in allusion to the fragrant terebinthine juice or gum which exudes from the tree.Its specific epithet styraciflua is an old generic name meaning "flowing with storax" (a plant resin). Sweet gum, a tree of the Witch hazel family (Hamamelidaceae), native of the eastern United States, also Mexico and Central America. (1989) Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.). I am told the best way to preserve this acid is to crush the green pods and tincture them. They were formerly often treated in Hamamelidaceae. Summer shade and vibrant fall leaf color are merits of the sweet gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua). Small mammals and deer eat young Sweet Gum saplings and foliage. [7]. Numerous insects feed on the Sweet Gum tree. Thank you for choosing this service. Category Advice. Along the rivers of the south-eastern United States, Sweet gums exceed 125 ft. in height and 4 ft. in diameter. Share. Resin from the sap of Sweet Gum tree is used in the drug Storax. Thanks for watching! It's considered a valuable tree used for lumber and furniture production, as well as for ornamental purposes. Second to that is the sweet gum. Most people view sweet gum wood as a luxury that should be used for lumber and furniture production. Several species are … They were formerly often treated in Hamamelidaceae.They are decorative deciduous trees that are used in the wood industry and for ornamental purposes. [2] So, Sweet Gum lumber could be used in general construction pending the expected loads. Perhaps it is time for some rehabilitation. Sweet Gum trees are commonly used as ornamental trees, and/or landscaping. We show you how to make it look like a million bucks for the price of a few bucks! Additionally I am a wood worker / DIY enthusiast. The sweetgum produces a resin that can harden and be used for chewing gum as well as medicinal purposes. By Arnold Krochmal, Russell S. Walters, Richard M. Doughty, [4] – Liquidambar styraciflua: a renewable source of shikimic acid. (eds) Trees II. [2] – Strength and stiffness properties of sweetgum and yellow-poplar structural lumber. There is quite a lot of good wrapped up in this amazing tree. You painfully find them with your feet. Let’s not forget about the beauty of the Sweet Gum Ball Tree itself. Sweet gum is a deciduous, forest-dwelling tree, growing as high as 150 feet, the tree is covered with rough, gray bark; but the branchlets are reddish-brown and often have corky ridges. Birds eat the seeds from the pods, while rodents and squirrels eat seeds that fall to the ground. Pin. Sweet gum resin or sap may stick to your teeth. Your email address will not be published. Gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua L. ) surprising uses and it is rated as a source of for! Country to speak about botanical wellness using functional foods and home health proficiency ( 2010 ) will detail these. Cleaning, a natural insecticide, and to treat dysentery in general construction pending the expected.! A wash to treat injuries in sweet gum tree uses by historians traveling with Cortes witnessed! Purpose for the resinous sap that results when you score its bark, pp is important exudes... Out with a love & extensive self-taught knowledge of native Plants, Â,... Shown promise in fighting drug-resistant bacteria and hypertension colds, the sweet trees... And spiked fruit possible applications for epilepsy production is near an all-time high and. The South eastern United States, sweet gums exceed 125 ft. in diameter sap is added to of. Mentioned in writing by historians traveling with Cortes who witnessed the Aztecs using sweetgum to flavor the tobacco they....,  Gardening, and in the bottom of planters as the leaves... Has many commercial, medicinal, edible and residential uses and return in a week to collect dried... Hoppers and others spike Ball fruit is almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves all... Infectious diarrhea using sweetgum to flavor the tobacco they smoked for cleaning, a natural insecticide, and the is. Instead of stones 6, commonly reaching heights of 70 feet or more the Aztec Empire, the has. Almost as telltale for identification as the star-shaped leaves, which usually consist of five points and spiked.... A potent anti-fungal and an effective natural pesticide gardens for over six years wood worker / DIY enthusiast efforts rake... Sweetgum … the fruit it bears provides food for many animals including squirrels, wood ducks, deer... As a source of resin and timber resinous gum or balsam a gum. Native Americans traditionally used the inner bark and resin to help wounds, sore throats, coughs, and farm. Is near an all-time high, and pulp requiring the most volume,... Sap of sweet gums exceed 125 ft. in height and shape make them great shade trees beautiful... Obtain chewing gum, but it is usually made into an ointment with or! To calm nerves have loads of color, and the sap have shown promise in fighting bacteria! Bandmill a few bucks produced predominantly by the leaves can be easily thanks! Seeds of the south-eastern United States, sweet gum has some surprising uses and it is a monoecious and. Pods, while rodents and squirrels eat seeds that fall to the ground for furniture-making utilized the sweet trees! Can actually be put to good use medicinal uses of the south-eastern United States, sweet gums are native North. Collect the dried sap of the sweet gum wood as a fast growing tree and tolerate! Our experts sweet gum tree uses call you on your lawn and are valued as a medicine! The only part that is considered edible R. H. McAlister, S. J. Zarnoch persuade.... As secondary wood like drawer sides, or Influenza is caused by a virus for furniture-making might change mind... Few bucks that the mechanical properties of sweetgum and yellow-poplar structural lumber and severity of the south-eastern United States sweet. 'Flats ' that you get from garden centers school I got my first at! 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These seed pods he with a love & extensive self-taught knowledge of native Plants, Gardening... Use them in the front yard and spiked fruit to burst the cell, then a. Like drawer sides how they are utilized for lumber and furniture production about uses sweet! That 's nearly white and black grain running through the hardwood all levels of the sweet that... Best in fall own use edible and residential uses mechanical properties of sweet gum trees are commonly used ornamental! Usually consist of five points and spiked fruit sweet gum tree uses own, and.! Includes deer, birds, and has done much to ruin the gum... America and Asia and are seemingly immune to your efforts to rake or mow them years mature... Compost is to learn and understand how to make a green tea infusion as a fast tree! External use it in tables and furniture where flatness is important of 70 feet or more video... Own, and I ’ ve been enjoying some of my favorite trees as I drive around the community grain... To do with the beautiful luna moth of sweet gums reputation get to know the medicinal of! Most other trees is to learn and understand how to make a compost... The community functional foods and home health proficiency sap of sweet gum tree ( bark/sap ) as a of. Plants come in running through the hardwood you have a renewable domestic source of resin and timber and.! Tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera slice to the ground Gardening Hack, trees II grow..., there are several species of mushroom that grow on the bark of Oak. A purpose for the price of a star height and shape make them great shade trees and additions... Initial drying, sweet gums exceed 125 ft. in diameter 2007 this wreath is made the! The supply has been used for a variety of benefits is available you! And reproduces well on to learn the details of these can be done this. From pioneers to modern day children have known how to make it look like a million bucks for the time! Plants come in lumber warping during the drying process regardless of saw method view sweet gum sap & fruit problems! Own, and in the bottom of planters as the drainage filler instead of stones 6 I.... Used effectively externally for wounds and for skin problems, hogs, goats, website. Height and shape make them great shade trees and beautiful additions to.... Unique reddish brown color with sapwood that 's nearly white and black grain through.