Ah, good ole' annoying sweetgum fruit!
Yes, I am familiar with several products that are fruit growth regulators. One product is called Florel Brand Growth Regulator.
Does it actually work? Well, the biggest concern is timing of application: spray too early or too late and you will have incomplete fruit elimination. Additional potential problems include cost and adequate application coverage. Florel is not cheap, nor is it easy for a landowner to effectively apply the product to large trees.
Snipper is the name of another growth regulator. However, you must inject this product into the tree. Again, timing the application prior to "fruit set" is paramount for effectiveness.
To recap, yes there are chemical treatments out there that regulate fruiting of trees and shrubs. However, timing, application coverage, and cost of these products cause most landowners to simply grin and bare it! If you want to go the Florel or Snipper route, you probably should seek the services of a certified arborist.
Hope this answered your question!
