Sycamore might have been introduced by the Romans or in the s. Sycamore is believed to have been introduced to the UK by the Romans.
These broadleaf trees can grow to 35m and live for years. The bark is dark pink-grey, and smooth when young, but becomes cracked and develops small plates with age. Twigs are pink-brown and hairless. Look out for: leaf veins which are hairy on the underside. Identified in winter by: twigs which are pink-brown and have no hairs.
Palmate leaves measure 7—16cm and have five lobes. Leaf stalks of younger trees are characteristically red. After pollination by wind and insects, female flowers develop into distinctive winged fruits known as samaras.
Field maple Acer campestre and Norway maple Acer platanoides. V-shaped seeds tell sycamore apart — the angle of the seeds is narrower than the others. Have you noticed buds bursting into leaf or fruit ripening in the hedgerows?
Flowers and Seeds Sycamores are not known for their flowers, which appear on small green balls at the same time that the leaves emerge in spring. Bark The aesthetic feature sycamores are most known for is their mottled, exfoliating bark.
Culture USDA plant hardiness zones 5 to 9 are where sycamores are most at home, meaning they will tolerate winter temperatures as low as degrees and are comfortable in hot climates, other than in desert areas. Sycamores don't mind partial shade when young, but they need space to grow up into the canopy to take advantage of the sunlight.
They grow grow naturally in bottomlands, where the soil is rich and deep - mimicking these conditions when planting them in the home landscape is a sure recipe for success, but they are forgiving and will grow in a diverse range of soil types.
Moisture is the one limiting factor with sycamores - in arid climates they need regular irrigation to survive and even in places with regular rainfall they benefit from being planted in low-lying areas that are naturally moist. Care Once a sycamore tree is established, generally within 5 to 6 years after planting, it is unlikely to need much attention.
Give sycamores a deep soaking once per week in the first few years after planting and on a monthly basis thereafter. Spreading 1 to 2 inches of compost over the roots zone of young trees each fall helps to build the rich topsoil that sycamores love. Maintaining a deep layer of mulch over the root zone of the tree helps to conserve moisture and keep the roots cool.
As the tree grows, prune off any branches on the lower half of the tree until the lowest branches are a minimum of 10 feet from the ground, at which point they can be left as the permanent scaffold branches for the life of the tree.
Potential Problems Numerous pests and diseases prey on sycamores, which can shorten the life of this otherwise long-lived tree. Pests and Disease Aphids are common on sycamores, but generally cause no major harm to the tree; however, the thick black substance secreted by these sap-sucking insects can be a big nuisance where they hang over parking areas, pathways or patios.
Anthracnose is a serious disease that causes dieback in the leaves and twigs of sycamores and can lead to their slow demise; there are fungicides that can help, but they can only be sprayed by an arborist who is licensed to do so.
Lace bugs sometimes feed on the underside of sycamore leaves, causing a stipled appearance and can occasionally defoliate the tree; however, like aphids, a tree in good health will usually tolerate the attack and rebound. In cities, sycamores create some of the most beautiful streetscapes in the world. Witness the London plane tree hybrid that lines the great boulevards in many European cities.
Sycamore is also used for its wood, which becomes crates, interior finishing, and furniture. For comparison, Missouri's current champion sycamore is approximately 19 feet in circumference. Many of the largest sycamores, over years old, are hollow, and pioneers found they could shelter livestock, including a horse or a cow, within a hollow sycamore.
Sometimes an entire pioneer family, prior to building a cabin, sheltered temporarily within a gigantic sycamore. Early settlers used short sections of trunk, with a hole drilled in the center, as crude wheels for ox carts. They also used 3- to 4-foot sections of hollow sycamore trunks adding a wooden bottom as storage bins for grain. The seeds are an important late winter food source for finches and were once a favorite food of the now-extinct Carolina parakeet.
Trunk cavities provide shelter for mammals and for nesting swifts and swallows. In fact, long before European settlers started building cabins in America, chimney swifts relied a great deal on hollow sycamore trunks.
Audubon described witnessing "thousands" of these birds "pouring" in and out of a single huge hollow sycamore trunk in a "black continued stream. The sycamore lace bug Corythucha ciliata is the only lace bug found on sycamore trees; these tiny grayish-white insects live on the undersides of leaves and drink sap from the leaves much as aphids do. Usually their damage is only aesthetic and nothing to worry about, but during droughts or severe infestations of weakened trees, trees may drop all their leaves.
In some cases, trees have died. Field Guide Aquatic Invertebrates. Butterflies and Moths. Land Invertebrates. Mexican sycamores can grow 36 inches a year. Their canopies span 30 feet. Mexican sycamore leaves are broad and can grow up to eight inches wide.
They are olive green in color. In the fall, some may change to yellow. They have a silvery and cottony white underside. A deciduous tree, they drop their leaves in December. During the winter months, the bark color turns white. Mexican sycamore is flood tolerant and drought tolerant.
In addition, they are hardy to 0 degrees F. They grow in hardiness zones 4 — 9. They prefer full sun but do well in moderate shade. Like American sycamores, these trees are adaptable.
They can grow in sand, loam or clay soils. Whether the soil is wet or dry, they will grow. The Mexican sycamore tree is resistant to Texas root rot and Verticillium. They tolerate highly acidic to highly alkaline soil as well. Because they are smaller in stature than American planetrees, they may be better suited in neighborhoods.
Still, these are large trees; you cannot plant them near homes or near pavement due to their deep and aggressive roots. Also, because of their height, you cannot plant them near power lines. While American sycamores could be more susceptible to common diseases, such as bacterial leaf scorch, this disease can affect the Mexican sycamore.
Another concern can be sycamore lace bugs. But like with bacterial leaf scorch, Mexican sycamores are more resistant than American sycamores are. Platanus wrightii, the Arizona sycamore tree, is indigenous to the American southwest, specifically Arizona and New Mexico.
You will find Arizona sycamores in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico in areas between 2, — 6, feet in elevation. This rugged shade tree thrives in riparian washes and canyon bottoms. Oftentimes, you will see them lining trees and in parks to provide shade.
The Arizona sycamore grows up to 80 feet in height. Their canopies span up to 60 feet wide. The bark is similar to the other sycamores with regard to exfoliating bark in camo shapes. Arizona sycamore bark is smooth and gray-to-green in color when young. Once mature, the bark peels into large jigsaw puzzle-shaped pieces exposing white bark.
Because these trees continuously grow, they continue to exfoliate into changing shapes. In the wintertime, you will notice its ornamental mottled bark and white trunk.
A woody deciduous perennial, Arizona sycamores have green leaves and clusters of buttonballs which hold seeds. These are clustered into pendant chains of three or more balls.
Arizona sycamore tree roots are good soil binders. This makes them ideal in areas where you want to prevent excessive erosion. This type of sycamore grows in sunset zones 10 — 24 and USDA hardiness zones 7 — You can plant Arizona sycamores most anytime of year. These deciduous trees thrive in full sun.
After they are established, they require moderate watering. They do best in well-draining soil but are tolerant to many conditions. They grow in clay, loam, and sandy soils and can tolerate low to high pH levels. Leaf blight caused by sycamore anthracnose is something that can affect the health of Arizona sycamores.
Platanus racemosa , the California sycamore has similarities to American sycamores. Other names for it include California plane tree and western sycamore. California sycamores are native in central and southern California and into Mexico. They grow in plant hardiness zones 7 — Mature height is between 40 — feet with a spread of 40 — 70 feet at maturity. Also considered a fast-growing tree, they grow over two feet per year. Like most sycamores, they are best suited for large-scale landscaping.
The leaves have 3 — 5 lobes. Like most sycamores, they are able to grow in a variety of soil types, including loamy, sandy, and clay soils.
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