Sycamore
ExploreTrees
Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
The Sycamore tree has big, green leaves and a distinctive bark that changes color. It’s a great tree for climbing!
Habitat: Riversides and open spaces
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.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderProtealesFamilyPlatanaceaeGenusPlatanus
Category
TreesRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
43
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
Ability
Self-Cleaning Bark
Sycamore can shed its outer bark, which helps it remove pollutants and parasites from its trunk.
Ability
Water Wanderer
Sycamore has strong, deep roots that help it stabilize riverbanks and withstand floodwaters.
Ability
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
- Canopy Spread
- 15-25 m
- Edible
- No
- Trunk Diameter
- 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
Sciurus carolinensis
Squirrels feast on the abundant seeds.
eats
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Turkeys forage fallen seeds in winter.
shelters
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
Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
Shade Tolerant
Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
Broadleaf Tree
Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
Rapid Growing
Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Longevous
This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
Also known as
American SycamoreButtonwood
Collections
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 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
How fast does Sycamore grow?
Fast
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
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Recent Snaps
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