# Sycamore (*Platanus occidentalis*) The Sycamore tree has big, green leaves and a distinctive bark that changes color. It’s a great tree for climbing! - **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 104 - **Habitat:** Riversides and open spaces - **Also known as:** American Sycamore, Buttonwood ![Sycamore](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424762/objects/4796.jpg) ## Appearance The Sycamore is easily recognized by its distinctive patchy bark, which peels away to reveal white, green, and brown colors, resembling camouflage. It has large, maple-like leaves with several pointed lobes and produces fuzzy, spherical seed balls that often hang through winter. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Proteales - **Family:** Platanaceae - **Genus:** Platanus ## Interesting facts - In winter, its fuzzy seed balls look like festive ornaments hanging from the branches! - Its amazing bark peels off in patches, showing a cool mosaic of greens and browns! - Sycamore trees are super strong, often surviving big floods and storms! - The largest sycamore trees can grow wider than a car, with massive trunks! ## Special abilities - **Self-Cleaning Bark:** Sycamore can shed its outer bark, which helps it remove pollutants and parasites from its trunk. - **Water Wanderer:** Sycamore has strong, deep roots that help it stabilize riverbanks and withstand floodwaters. - **Wind Rider Seeds:** Sycamore's unique seed balls break apart, allowing tiny, parachute-like seeds to travel far by wind and water. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-50 m - **Spread:** 15-25 m - **Edible:** No - **Size:** 150-300 cm - **Lifespan:** 200-500 years - **Fruit Type:** Achenes in spherical clusters - **Growth Rate:** Fast - **Leaf Type:** Deciduous ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Eastern gray squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — Squirrels feast on the abundant seeds. - **Eats:** Wild Turkey (*Meleagris gallopavo*) — Turkeys forage fallen seeds in winter. - **Shelter:** [Great Crested Flycatcher](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-crested-flycatcher) (*Myiarchus crinitus*) — Often nests in sycamore hollows. - **Eats:** North American Beaver (*Castor canadensis*) — Beavers sometimes chew its bark and wood. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. ## Collections - [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sycamore? Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Sycamore? 30-50 m ### How wide does Sycamore spread? 15-25 m ### Is Sycamore edible? No ### How big is Sycamore? 150-300 cm ### How long does Sycamore live? 200-500 years ### Where is Sycamore usually found? Riversides and open spaces ### What kind of fruit does Sycamore produce? Achenes in spherical clusters ## Where to spot - [Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arrowmont-school-of-arts-and-crafts) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Bainbridge Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bainbridge-commercial-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Bristol Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bristol-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Brookfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brookfield-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Chanticleer Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chanticleer-garden) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District [View all places to see Sycamore](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sycamore) ## More Trees - [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) - [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*) - [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*) - [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) --- Source: [Sycamore: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sycamore)