Question
Hi i would like to grow a sweet gum tree from a seed and i was wondering if you could tell me exactly how?

Answer
Hi there!

You should harvest the seeds as soon as they mature in the fall.
As you probably know, the seeds are inside that thorny capsule. Place the capsules on a sheet of paper in a warm place. As they open, shake the seeds out and sow them in a mixture of 1/3 of horticultural sand (coarse, washed river sand) 1/3 of a good compost and 1/3 of peat moss. Mix well and place it in a 8 inch deep tray. Spread the seeds evenly and not to crowded. Cover them with a 1/6 of an inch of the same mix and place it in a cold frame. Seeds could take up to two years to germinate. As soon as the seedlings reach around 4 inches high they should be transplanted to a pot where they should be kept until ready to be planted. Young plants should be kept in a cold frame for their first winter. As you plant them in their final place, try not to disturb the roots as you remove them from the pots. Sweet gum doesn't like to be transplanted.

Sweet gum is not only a beautiful tree but also a very useful one. It produces a resin (obtained by removing part of the bark and scraping the resin that will form on it)
This resin is used as a natural remedy against the common cold, coughs, sore throats, and chewed as a natural tooth cleaner.
It is also in used perfumery and incense making.
Care should be taken in not planting them near roads or driveways. The thorns on the seed capsules are so hard that they could puncture a tire.

Good luck!

Carlo