Many foresters agree to the fact that sterilizing gum trees is not easy. The consistency of the gum trees is affected. There is also no known chemical which helps in sterilizing a tree. Though, many expensive chemicals are used for this process. The chemicals have to be properly used fulfilling and the conditions and temperature of the tree. There are some ways of preventing the tree from flowering. You can use a spray on a chemical called as Ethephon which helps the tree from flowering. The chemical drops the fruit and has to applied at right temperature. The other chemical which can be applied to sweet gum trees is called Indole-3-butyric acid to the trunk of the tree.