Platanus occidentalis
American Sycamore
Grown from seed
*Seedling stock expected by 2026
Deciduous hardwood tree; fast growing; mature trees range from 60-120ft tall
Monoecious; male and female flowers form on the same tree; reddish-orange flowers bloom in spring; seed balls form in autumn and usually remain on the tree until the following spring; leaves becomes yellow, orange and brown in the fall
Outer bark sheds, revealing its distinctive white bark underneath; twigs occasionally eaten by deer, wood occasionally consumed by beaver; cavities in the trunk accommodate owls, bats, ducks, chimney swifts, flycatchers, squirrels and, if large enough, black bear
Seeds eaten by songbirds in winter including the Purple Finch, chickadees and juncos
Insects that feed on the tree include the Sycamore Tussock Moth, Drab Prominent, and various wood-boring insects and leafhoppers
American Sycamore
Grown from seed
*Seedling stock expected by 2026
Deciduous hardwood tree; fast growing; mature trees range from 60-120ft tall
Monoecious; male and female flowers form on the same tree; reddish-orange flowers bloom in spring; seed balls form in autumn and usually remain on the tree until the following spring; leaves becomes yellow, orange and brown in the fall
Outer bark sheds, revealing its distinctive white bark underneath; twigs occasionally eaten by deer, wood occasionally consumed by beaver; cavities in the trunk accommodate owls, bats, ducks, chimney swifts, flycatchers, squirrels and, if large enough, black bear
Seeds eaten by songbirds in winter including the Purple Finch, chickadees and juncos
Insects that feed on the tree include the Sycamore Tussock Moth, Drab Prominent, and various wood-boring insects and leafhoppers
American Sycamore
Grown from seed
*Seedling stock expected by 2026
Deciduous hardwood tree; fast growing; mature trees range from 60-120ft tall
Monoecious; male and female flowers form on the same tree; reddish-orange flowers bloom in spring; seed balls form in autumn and usually remain on the tree until the following spring; leaves becomes yellow, orange and brown in the fall
Outer bark sheds, revealing its distinctive white bark underneath; twigs occasionally eaten by deer, wood occasionally consumed by beaver; cavities in the trunk accommodate owls, bats, ducks, chimney swifts, flycatchers, squirrels and, if large enough, black bear
Seeds eaten by songbirds in winter including the Purple Finch, chickadees and juncos
Insects that feed on the tree include the Sycamore Tussock Moth, Drab Prominent, and various wood-boring insects and leafhoppers
Details
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Red, Orange, Brown
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Spring
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60-120ft
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On average live 250 years; in optimal cases, can live 500 years
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Medium
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Full, Partial, Shade
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Sycamore Tussock Moth
Drab Prominent -
FACW - usually occurs in wetlands, but may occur in non-wetlands
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120+ days of cold stratification; best to plant outside in the fall