Tree Talk: American Sycamore

It's the Tree Talk we've all been waiting for - Ryan's personal favorite, American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)!! These big, beautiful denizens of floodplains have iconic bark and impressive statures that have ingrained them into the cultural history of eastern North America. Sycamores grow fast and reproduce like it's going out of style, dispersing thousands of seeds on wind and water. They are important food and shelter sources for many animals, including people, and their wood is currently and historically valuable.
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Recorded on 1/30/22 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Allyson "Buttonwood" Davis. Who, for the first time in Tree Talk history, appears on screen in this episode!

[@laurascorner-f1m]

I did not know I needed to watch this video at 6;30 am 6/3/24 untill it came acrossed my recommendations. Thank you 😅

[@outdoorinfluencer]

Awesome you did sycamores!! I love sycamore trees!!

[@justinbohannon3197]

Another cool fact; they have been around for 100 million years.

[@karlsenula9495]

Got a young one of these from a local native plants nursery and love it (we have heavy clay soil) ... sadly the power company came in and one guy walking past it topped it even though it was only 8ft tall and 25ft away from the power line (I could have understood it had it been taller or closer to the power line). Thankfully it now has a new leader.

[@justinwiantmusic]

Sycamore is one of my favorites. We bought land on a river in Ohio and have MASSIVE sycamores. I've spend 3 years clearing invasive species by hand and now I'm learning all I can about the native tree species. So far I have every tree you've covered. Osage Orange should be on your list to cover soon!

[@frazicl]

Thought you were going to say, “I love big tree and cannot lie” 😊 BrrrmpBump! 😁 Loved your presentation!

[@knitterscheidt]

I have two of these in my front yard! I live in a 50s era midwest urban subdivision. The builder or original owners all planted sycamores up and down the street, the effect is quite beautiful. Yes, the leaves are a beast to clean up in the fall but they're perfect for grinding in the mulching mower, bagging and spreading around the shrub beds. The seed puffs make me sneeze and this year was a major bark shedding event, my entire front yard covered deeply in strips of bark, also great mulch! After all is said I'm looking out my front windows now and see that beautiful mottled bark, 2 squirrels have their heads popped out of a knot in the trunk, well I wouldn't give them up for anything!

[@judithgeorge3097]

Nice one

[@MelonMcGee]

I just moved to a neighborhood filled with sycamores. In love with them. To me, they are the most beautiful trees. We have a red oak that's dying and I'd like to replace it with a baby sycamore when the time comes.

[@EmeraldForester777]

An adult sycamore is by far one of the most beautiful and imposing trees. Second only to a white oak.

[@Bsdel]

White oaks are definitely beautiful, but during the wintertime I think sycamores are more striking!

[@dorotheaivanovna9457]

How about tulip trees?

[@EmeraldForester777]

@@dorotheaivanovna9457 definitely another amazing tree, impossibility tall with a straight form.

[@pamsmith7369]

I have buttonwoods out front of my house in an older development built around 1951-2. They are rather messy with the leaves, bark, seeds, pollen etc. But they are protected by the Boro because the street name is Buttonwood! I learned something from you today! I knew that they are Sycamores, Plane Trees, and Buttonwoods but did not know that the name comes from the fact that the wood was good for making buttons! Interesting! Another great fact about these hardy trees! Thank you!

[@gnarmarmilla]

If you could talk about Sycamores all day, please do, brother, I’ll be eager to hear it! That was very helpful and interesting. We are so lucky to have this free educational resource available to us on KZbin. I work for a big power plant and we have some woods on our property where the sycamore trees have blown their seeds to the edge of our lake, where we get our cooling water from, and our managers usually have them cut down every year, but after watching this I am thinking we should opt to keep them as they could filter the water and help to cool the water through their great big canopies. This year I asked her if I could get the saplings and take them home and she was okay with that. I’m hoping to go tomorrow and uproot the 5 or 6 saplings I see and move them over near my house which is near an oxbow lake on the Kaskaskia river. Thank you for sharing that information about how much water they can move. We have issues with flooding sometimes and this oxbow lake is where the nearby cities get their drinking water from so cleaning it up some would be fantastic. May God bless you, sir, you have blessed us all. Peace

[@EmeraldForester777]

Awesome! Good luck with the planting, the world could use more sycamores, especially with the increased need for flood and erosion control.

[@juliegatesman9501]

This was great thanks! Our neighbor's parkway tree is a sycamore. And man.... Those seeds are PLENTIFUL and they get EVERYWHERE!!!! All over our yards, stuck along the grass and IN OUR CARS!!!! We've lived here for 12 years but for some reason never really noticed it until this year. It never seemed to be this bad. Wonder why that is! But anyway, can't help but love how excited you get about sycamore trees! Thanks for the lesson!!

[@dannymarlin9150]

My ggggggg grandfather lived in a giant Sycamore when he settled in Marlinton,West Virginia in 1732. His name was Jacob Marlin

[@gardensofthegods]

I've heard of such stories and there's a documentary here or something like that here somewhere on the tube and it sounds like it's possible your ancestor was one of the people mentioned in it

[@benjaminwagner4702]

I appreciate this show so very much.

[@2990rick]

just an FYI I picked you video cause of your beagle 🐶🐶 love your doggie also good info on the tree thanks 👍👍

[@mike-yp1uk]

Identity of this tree is awesome and extra knowledge about the seeds and fruits and buds. It's awesome

[@foxtrotbravo1744]

That's great info, thanks so much. I live in North Eastern Ontario, and will look into planting some sycamore on our property, they seem well suited to the conditions here, and since they grow fast maybe I can enjoy their crown before I'm down there with their roots :)

[@abuus0646]

This is my new favorite channel. So much great information packed into the Tree Talk series!

[@Ecologyontherun]

Subscribed 10 seconds in. This is gold!

[@chaseschneider9258]

Love your videos buddy

[@Beautyabove]

I have been teaching children ...and adults ... about the natural world around us...in southeastern PA and Northwestern DE for many years...at established places of learning...recently I have come across your channel ...I am happy to find an excellent resource of information there. Thank You

[@coreyledin-bristol7068]

Sycamore is my favorite tree. They are absolutely gorgeous lining streets. Nothing else looks like them

[@jimschlaugat6475]

Nice! That's great information. Thank you.

[@kristywhited8857]

Learned a lot! My neighbors (on either side) have Sycamores (3 total) and I always get the leaves and the fuzzy hairs/seeds in my yard. They accumulate around my flower beds. I always thought the fuzzy bits WERE the seed, but now I know better. Those little sharp seeds always stick in my foot. Now I know where all that stuff comes from and what its function is. Cool! Thanks so much! New subscriber here....I love trees, but don't know nearly enough about any of them.

[@adamforest1986]

Francis andre muechex measured one on the bank of the Ohio River 48ft circumfrence in CT where I live we have the pinchot sycamore measures 28ft circumference 500yr old beauty her odd shape kept her alive next to Farmington river aomerhing that old living is just so amazing happy earth day homie

[@forestsforthebay4784]

Wow, I'd love to see that one someday! I'll put it on my list for the next time I travel to New England!

[@adamforest1986]

For sure man we are lucky I love the dawn redwood...have u ever seen the onas out west I have not

[@stevemurray6543]

Great presentation I have added a few species to my garden. Thank you, very much appreciated.

[@AdventuringDave]

Thanks, your video made me excited for sycamore trees! We want to plant trees in our yard, and happened to have noticed a couple of sycamore tree saplings that somehow started close to the house (surely that aerial seed dispersion you mentioned), so we will replant them in selected areas of our yard where we want shade trees. Nice to know that they are fast growing.

[@lyceum4177]

This was a wonderful video. I'd been wondering which tree had such humongous leaves! And it's indeed the sycamore. Wow, what a great tree to know about. My hiking pals and I see these hollowed out trees so frequently whilst walking, now I guess I know what they're called. Unless, other varieties also do that trick. They always remind us of fairy quarters or some little critter's den.

[@kenvasko2285]

I'm a Woodturner and have just discovered the sycamore. Good videos! Thanks.

[@marcelodealmeida2272]

I became a fan of the sycamore family when I resettled at 3,000ft in the mtns of Brazil, about 20 years ago and saw eastern and London plane trees which had been brought down here by the royal family 200 yrs ago. Unfortunately most of the south and southeast of the country is prone to 3 types of mistletoe parasites, of which one is so aggressive that it ends up killing the trees that are not cared for. I wanted to surround my house in them for fall foliage and their bare white trunks which would guarantee full winter sun, as well as to have a blast peeling off the bark and kicking through the accumulated dry leaves, but didn´t know how I´d maintain so many. So I decided to use the infested branches for firewood and soon discovered their building properties as floor joists and columns. My latest project has been to plant them practically on the river bed beside my land, away from the strongest currents, and so far they´ve proven to be well suited...one day my river will be unique in Brazil! Anyway, 3 years ago, while visiting NYC I brought sycamore seeds back and they´re growing vigorously and showing beautiful pink and red tones. In a few years I can try to make hybrids between the 3 types, find the most colorful autumn foliage and the ones which are most resistant to the parasite and just have fun discovering the wonderful world of the Platanus! Thanks for your video, I´m constantly searching for more information regarding this family.

[@gnarmarmilla]

Awesome! You have autumn in Brazil? I Didn’t know that.

[@marcelodealmeida2272]

@@gnarmarmilla Thanks for commenting. The Tropic of Capricorn runs just south of my city so we´re barely even inside the tropics. Add a little altitude to that and you get what´s called 'Highland Tropical', generally considered a spring~like climate. Further south we get a little snow in the highlands, but not within the tropics. Sycamores appear to have originated in Mexico or at least within the tropics and subtropics so they seem to have adapted to living in colder temperate zones rather than vise versa.

[@EmeraldForester777]

Sycamores spread like crazy, I wouldn't recommend introducing possibly invasive species to an ecosystem as sensitive as Brazil's. They are beautiful though.

[@marcelodealmeida2272]

@@EmeraldForester777 They don´t germinate easily so can´t spread down here, there are too many parasites that attack them and the native flora is too agressive. Absolutely no risk of this.

[@markjones5561]

One of my favourite trees . Thanks for this!

[@kongotronics]

Man that is a head full of gorgeous locks 😂 liking the mane! And cool tree too I guess

[@myagrimm4719]

Great video, I've learned so much from your channel. Thank you. Could you do a video about the advantages of different kinds of bark? Some trees have very smooth bark, some very shaggy, some very soft, and some quite hard. It'd be interesting to learn why they evolved all these different ways

[@AidanSWalsh]

In Ryan's defense, 10,000 seeds a year for 200-600 years is a couple million per tree on the conservative side.

[@Bsdel]

It’s exciting to see someone as excited about Sycamore trees as I am ❤. In my hometown there are hundreds of gigantic sycamore trees in a flood plain near the river and they are so beautiful in the wintertime. Out of curiosity, why do some have leaves with fewer teeth and more pronounced arcs while others have leaves that have more ridges and teeth? I know that London Planes have a more “maple-like” leaf shape that tend to be a little fuzzier, but especially around the Pittsburgh area the leaves of the sycamores near the river seem to be sharper with more pronounced arcs (if that makes sense). Meanwhile in NY and Virginia the leaves seem to have a lot more teeth dispersed across the leaves and are rounder. Just thought I’d see if you have any opinion on this!

[@Keith-sw1co]

Thanks for a great video.

[@skonig77]

Thank you for saving the forests 🙏🏻

[@justinwood6193]

Just discovered your channel! I love it!

[@rivertrees4733]

Thank you very much! Wonderful video!!!

[@jocelynrabulan3510]

Wow beautiful ❤️🥰 perfect

[@kbkesq]

Great video. My favorite tree is a sycamore also but I love the ones with white bark. Having been from California to California Sycamore is really beautiful and unfortunately they tend to hybridize with the London plain tree and get that same grayish kind of bark, which just isn’t as vibrant and pretty along the Creeks as the white bark in my opinion.

[@lyceum4177]

Maybe they're referred to as plane trees bc we're on a plane:)

[@HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

I was really interested in the sycamore because I’ve noticed for example, this year, when all the other trees had leaves on them, the sycamore did not, and I was afraid that they were all diseased, but several months later I look at them, and they are completely filled with foliage. Does the sycamore produce leaves later than other trees?

[@kbkesq]

I’m near Charlottesville and have lots of creeks I’d like to reestablish sycamores. Any source for larger than 2’ American sycamores with white camp bark?

[@daleclancy9386]

A sycamore that was 14' in diameter? Thats as thick as a redwood tree

[@sailingto]

Hey Ryan. What would your opinion of using young sycamore shoots (6-8 foot straight rods) for bent wood furniture making. I'm thinking these might be a good candidate for annual coppicing as they are such fast growers. There is a lot of open land in the flood plain where I live (Asheville area) and I'm considering giving these a go. Love to hear your opinion

[@forestsforthebay4784]

I don't know much about furniture making and my wood-working knowledge in general is only second hand, but I do know that sycamores stump sprout vigorously, so coppicing them could work! Annual may be a little too much, at least at first, but it's worth a try. If you plant several sycamores you can experiment with a few cutting regimes (everything annually, half each year, 1/3 each year, etc).

[@chadlawyer4891]

Can you please help me? Dug a pond a couple years ago. The water level is roughly 20 feet away from a sycamore but ever since the pond was dug the sycamore seems to be stressed, there is a little bit of dirt that got piled up at the base of the tree that has since been removed, how do I determine if the water is stressing the tree or if it’s dirt? It is an older, bigger sycamore I’d say it’s roughly 80 to 90 feet tall probably 4 foot in diameter at the base.

[@forestsforthebay4784]

It's hard to say but my guess would be that some roots got damaged during the excavation, either by getting severed or compacted by the machinery.

[@hanzifaction]

Buddy, you sure it’s not a London plane tree with the two balls?

[@EmeraldForester777]

London plane trees aren't common in the US like American Sycamore is.

[@ShinerBockGirlz]

I enjoyed this very much...think I will plant a sycamore this spring..I have the seeds in the fridge just waiting for march....a Question....When do they start to hollow out? I would prefer to be dead by that time....thanks!

[@forestsforthebay4784]

Planting a sycamore is a great choice! :) And they only get hollow if damaged, so they may live a full life without forming a cavity! Even if they did form one, you wouldn't have to worry about it being very large or causing any trouble for many decades.

[@ShinerBockGirlz]

@@forestsforthebay4784I am attempting to plant a forest basically...how far apart would you recommend planting them? 10 feet? or 15 feet? I would prefer them to be VERY large and tall...I am also planting some black walnuts this spring and I read they are happy being next to each other..thanks!

[@forestsforthebay4784]

@@ShinerBockGirlz awesome! I like to plant in either 10' x 15' or 12' x 12' spacing patterns; both will give you around 300 trees per acre. Good luck!

[@ShinerBockGirlz]

@@forestsforthebay4784 May I ask you one last question since you are so handsome ;). I saw your video on the tulip poplar and now I want one of those lol. What would you recommend in South Texas a tulip polar or an American sycamore?? About 22 inches of rain annually but will be supplementally watered. I really enjoy your videos and presentation. I will be checking more out and subscribed so I don’t lose you. I thank you very much!

[@forestsforthebay4784]

@@ShinerBockGirlz Tulip-poplars are great! I don't think their range extends into south Texas though, so I would go with sycamore!