Sycamore!

Sycamore

Garden Clippings for March 21, 2026

When our kids were kids, about 20 years ago, we exchanged homes with a family near Southampton, England, about two hours’ drive west of London. The exchange saved us a bundle on hotels and took place before Airbnb was in business.

When in England, I insisted we stroll through a piece of New Forest National Park and spend time at Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew in London. The kids were not impressed. They insisted we visit a Jaguar dealership and spend an entire afternoon touring the Manchester United stadium. Their dad was not impressed.

While in England, I was struck by the large number of Sycamore trees lining city streets everywhere.

So widely planted are Sycamore (Platanus acerifolia) trees in England that their common name has become London Plane tree. The tree is without a doubt the most widely planted tree in England and throughout the rest of Europe.

London Plane trees are more versatile than any tree I know. They grow comfortably in the heat of India and Iran, to the colder climates of Poland and much of Scandinavia. In the USA, the native Plane Tree (Platanus occidentalis) will grow in all states except Alaska. In Canada the tree will grow in the milder climates of British Columbia and Southwestern Ontario.

Sycamores are a stately tree, growing 30 to 40 meters tall and wide. Growth rate is fast, making it a good choice for large properties.

Leaves at first glance are often confused with Maples but are broader and not as smooth. Leaf colour is lime green.

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of Sycamore tree is its peeling bark. Bark is very smooth, with layers or patches constantly falling off, revealing colours ranging from cream to olive green to brown.

For many years, Sycamores were the most widely planted tree in most of Europe. When gardeners found that Sycamores grew too large for city boulevards, they pruned them to grow flat or pancake style, a procedure called espaliering.

Like all trees, Sycamores have a few questionable characteristics when planted in home landscapes. After a windstorm you can expect a collection of small twigs that have landed on the ground. Sycamore fruit or seeds are round, soft and spiny, and could be considered a nuisance in fall and early winter. Some people are bothered by the powder emitted from the fuzz on the underside of the leaves. The tree is relatively pest resistant, but can be bothered by canker, powdery mildew, or anthracnose.