Sycamore, Buttonwood,American Sycamore, American Planetree (Platanus occidental

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DiOhio Corning, OH(Zone 6a) Feb 13, 2005

Sycamore, Buttonwood,American Sycamore, American Planetree
Platanus occidentalis

Volunteer sapling only a few years old with leaves already more than dinnerplate size !

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Toxicodendron Piedmont, MO(Zone 6a) Feb 14, 2005

Aren't those giant leaves fantastic?
Generally young trees make larger leaves than mature trees. I've seen this with oaks particularly, and as you point out here, the sycamore.
I believe it helps the young tree gather more light for photosynthesis.

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DiOhio Corning, OH(Zone 6a) Feb 14, 2005

Interesting fact ! I wasn't aware of that, but then I've never really studied sycamores. It wasn't until two years ago that I an entomologist identify it when he found dozens of the rare sycamore tussock moth larvae feeding on it ! Up until that point we were contemplating digging the sapling out because it is in the corner of our driveway only 20 feet from the house ! I hope we don't regret our decision to let him stay.

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Toxicodendron Piedmont, MO(Zone 6a) Feb 15, 2005

We have one in the middle of a circle driveway, and I have to tell you....it is a very messy tree! We love the grandeur of it, though. It volunteered the same year our daughter was born, and she just turned 26. Incredibly fast growing. Here is a winter picture of it; it towers over everything ...very shady in summer.

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DiOhio Corning, OH(Zone 6a) Feb 15, 2005

What a grand tree !! And only 26 years old.....WOW !
I can deal with messy. The hickories and buckeyes taught me that. I just hope I live long enough to see my tree tower like yours !

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Toxicodendron Piedmont, MO(Zone 6a) Feb 16, 2005

I certainly hope you live that long, too. We just transplanted some cedars that we rescued from a demolition area...the old saying is that if you plant a cedar when you are young, by the time it casts a big shadow, it is ready to shade your grave. Or something like that. A lot of the old cemeteries here have ancient cedars in them, so I guess that is where the saying originated. I hope I live that long, LOL.
There is a tree farm near the Mississippi river in SE Missouri that "fertigates" (fertilizer plus ground water) these sycamores. They are growing in sand and the ground water is only 20 feet below the surface. In only 8 - 12 years the trees are huge and are harvested for paper pulp.

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