American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis · Deciduous Broadleaf Hardwood
Plant Family
Platanaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree / Forest Tree / Riparian Tree
Variety / Cultivar
Native species (commonly confused with London Plane tree, which is a hybrid)
Hardiness Zones
4 to 9
About This Tree
A massive, spreading tree with an irregular, open crown and massive white-and-tan mottled bark. It has a very fast growth rate and becomes one of the largest deciduous trees in North America by volume.
Leaf Characteristics
Simple, alternate leaves with 3-5 shallow lobes; 4 to 9 inches wide; light green above and paler underside with prominent veins; turns yellow-brown in fall; petioles completely cover the next season's buds.
Bark Characteristics
Distinctive exfoliating 'camouflage' bark; outer bark is grey-brown and flakes off to reveal striking creamy white, yellow, and green inner bark on upper branches.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Eastern and Central United States and Southern Ontario; common in Virginia
Growing Season
Leafs out in late April/May; flowers in late spring; fruits persist into winter; dormant through winter months
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun (6+ hours); high water needs, typically found near rivers or floodplains; moderate drought tolerance once established.
Mature Size
75 to 100 feet tall (sometimes larger), 75 to 100 feet wide; growth rate of 2+ feet per year; can live over 200 years.
Special Characteristics
High tolerance for air pollution and wet soils; high timber value for furniture and crates; distinctive 'buttonball' fruit; iconic white bark visible from long distances.
Wildlife & Ecology
Seed balls provide food for purple finches, goldfinches, and squirrels; older hollow trunks provide nesting for wood ducks, chimney swifts, and owls.
Notes
Culpeper, Va