American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
Identifying Features
Plant Family: Platanaceae
Native Range: Eastern North America
Leaf: deciduous, alternate, simple, toothed to varying degrees, 3-5 lobes, 4-8 inches long and wide
Twig and Bud: twigs zigzagged, lateral buds at outside edge of turns
Flower, Fruit and Seed: fruit is tightly packed ball of needle-like seeds
Bark: flaky gray-brown bark peels to reveal smooth white inner bark
Shape and Mature Height: large open crowns with well-spaced limbs, often 80 feet tall with the potential to reach 175 feet
Garden Value and Considerations
Sycamores are hard to miss due to their large size and the striking contrast of their outer and inner bark. They grow best in full sun and rich, moist soils. Dieback of new growth from anthracnose is a significant concern for sycamores.
Notes
Massive is a word fittingly used to describe sycamores. They are tall trees with thick trunks and wide-spreading crowns. Sycamores grow in lowlands, often marking the banks of rivers and streams where their roots shelter aquatic life and stabilize soil. As sycamore trees mature their trunks become hollow providing shelter to wildlife, especially cavity-nesting birds. Sycamores provide natural nesting locations for chimney swifts. Sycamore seeds are eaten by birds including purple finches, goldfinches, chickadees, and dark-eyed juncos.
