Sycamore | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Sycamore; planetree
Family (botanic) Platanaceae
Planting site City parkway, Residential and parks, Wide median
Tree or plant type Tree
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale Chicago area, Illinois, North America
Size range Large tree (more than 40 feet)
Mature height 75-100 feet
Mature width 50-70 feet
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
Soil preference Alkaline soil, Wet soil
Tolerances Alkaline soil, clay soil, Occasional flooding, Road salt, Wet sites
Season of interest early winter, midwinter, late winter, early fall, mid fall, late fall
Flower color and fragrance Inconspicuous
Shape or form Broad, Irregular, Pyramidal, Round
Growth rate Fast
Transplants well Yes
Planting considerations Messy fruit/plant parts
Wildlife Birds, Insect pollinators, Small mammals
Has cultivars Yes

Native geographic location and habitat:

Native to the eastern United States along rivers and streams and rich bottomlands. Occasionally grows in upland sites. C-Value: 9.

Bark color and texture:

Unique, gray-brown flaky scales shed to expose mottled peeling patches of white, gray, and green. Trees become nearly white near the top. Sycamore has an attractive mottled bark.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:

The alternate leaves are 4 to 9 inches wide and leathery. The leaves have 3 to 5 lobes, similar to maple. The leaf surface is bright green and paler underneath and the margins are broadly toothed. Fall color is brown.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size:

Monoecious, with separate male and female flowers on the same tree. Flowers appear in early spring with the leaves as dense globose balls on long stalks (peduncles). Male flowers are green, females are showier, a bright burgundy-red. Not ornamentally important .

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions:

A singular, 1 inch, ball-like seed head hangs from a long stalk. Seeds shatter during winter months.

Plant Care:

Sycamore grows best in moist, deep, and rich well-drained soil in full sun. This tree does not tolerate shady sites. Adaptable to a range of soil pH and moderately salt tolerant. Do not grow sycamore near septic fields. Can be a messy tree since it drops leaves, twigs, and fruit.

List of pests, diseases, and tolerances:

Can be affected by anthracnose, leafspots, aphids, plant bug, scale insects, bagworm, and borers. Also susceptible to frost cracks. Tolerant of black walnut toxicity. Tolerant of high pH soil.