Sweet gum in winter

The sweet gum trees have lost their leaves but not their fruit balls. Sweet gum is an important for the lumber tree in the Southeast. It seems not to be all that common in around Rensselaer. It may not even be native to this area, but may be here only as an ornamental.
Here is a picture of a leaf and some of the seed balls. (Sycamores also have seed balls, but they are much smoother.)
The sweet gum has beautiful fall leaves. However, not everyone likes sweet gum trees.

(I prepared the above before the ice storm. Below is sweet gum on ice. Or in ice.)