Cliveden
Tree Location Map:
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American sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
Habit
Easy to spot from a distance, the American Sycamore’s beautiful upper branches, with their light brown, almost white bark stand out in stark contrast to the darker limbs of most other trees. It produces a single 3/4 to 1 and 1/4 inch fruit head on a slender stem. A fruit head consists of hundreds of tiny seeds with hairy tufts.
Cultural Significance and Uses
The American sycamore’s trunk attains a girth greater than that of any other of our deciduous native trees. Nineteenth century naturalists recorded giant sycamores with trunks more than thirteen feet in diameter growing in the moist bottomlands of the Ohio River Valley. Nowadays, however, a mature tree is unlikely to exceed four or five feet in diameter and 100 to 120 feet in height.
Community Connections
Cliveden has several tall sycamores along the drive boasting large leaves. They can be distinguished from the London plane trees by their whitish inner bark.
Species information:
Meyer, Paul, et al. Philadelphia Trees: A Field Guide to the City and the Surrounding Delaware Valley. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2023.
Brickell, Christopher, editor. American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Revised ed., DK Publishing, 2004.
Dirr, Michael A. Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Timber Press, 1997.
Don’t forget to write the featured tree species for this site in the back of your Stamp Rally booklet in order to claim prizes!
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