Platanus occidentalis

1 / 2

Common name: American planetree, American sycamore

Family: Platanaceae (planetree family)

Distribution: e. North America

IUCN Red list: Least concern

Hardiness: USDA Zone 4

Life form: Deciduous tree

Comments: Sycamore is generally regarded to be the most massive tree indigenous to eastern North America. It is a deciduous, usually single-trunk tree that typically grows to 75-100’ tall with horizontal branching and a rounded habit. Sycamore is native to lowland areas, typically reaching its largest size along streams, rivers and flood plains. The signature ornamental feature of this huge tree is its brown bark which exfoliates in irregular pieces to reveal creamy white inner bark. Small, non-showy, monoecious flowers appear in small rounded clusters in April. Male flowers are yellowish and female flowers are reddish. Female flowers give way to fuzzy, long-stalked, spherical fruiting balls that ripen to brown in October and persist into early winter.

Links: • Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy) • USDA PLANTS Database - US Department of Agriculture • World Flora Online

1: DAL: CL17 (CL17) • Accession: D1941-0035.005 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
2: DAL: CL17 (CL17) • Accession: D1941-0035.001 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
3: DAL: CL18 (CL18) • Accession: D1941-0035.003 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
4: DAL: CL18 (CL18) • Accession: D1941-0035.004 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
5: DWD: AB05 (AB05) • Accession: D1925-0001.001 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
6: LKV: CF15 (CF15) • Accession: D1981-0023.001 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
7: LKV: CG15 (CG15) • Accession: D1981-0023.004 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
8: LKV: CG16 (CG16) • Accession: D1981-0023.003 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin
9: • Accession: D2022-0028.001 • Provenance: Cultivated of Garden Origin

The Dawes Arboretum

Arboretum Explorer

Taxon

Platanus occidentalis

Locations