American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
Plantanaceae
▲ mature trees
▲▼ leaves
▲▼ leaves
▲ fruit
▲▼ trunk and bark, showing peeling bark in upper canopy, and brown platey bark on lower trunk
▲ trees survived 2007 ice storm in Springfield, MO with moderate damage
Location on Missouri State University campus: east of Art Annex; just north of Karls Hall
Platanus occidentalis:
American Sycamore
·
leaves alternate, deciduous, simple, large, palmately 3-5 lobed with toothed
margins; 4-9" wide and almost equally long; pubescent when young, medium to dark
green in color
·
stems stout, smooth or pubescent in yellow or orange brown, in zig-zag pattern
·
bark is exfoliating on upper large branches to white, cream, tan and orange,
brown layers; basal trunk bark is gray-brown and platey
·
grows 75-100' tall in rounded or upright oval pattern
·
fruit is a ball-shaped cluster of achenes which disintegrates into brown fluff
in winter; ball is born singly on long stalk
· prefers full sun and moist, deep, fertile soils, but fairly soil adaptable; begins shedding leaves midsummer if dry
·
prone to anthracnose fungal disease which can cause stem dieback and witches=
broom formations
·
fast growth rate
·
native to Missouri--
common
along streams and rivers
· similar to London Planetree (Platanus x acerifolia), but London planetree bark peels along trunk all the way to the ground, and fruit is in clusters of 2-3 ball-like structures, instead of 1 as on sycamore