Sycamore

Is it true that the American sycamore (in Colonial days) could be hollowed out and be used for tempoary homes for colonial families and later as silos stables pigpens and barns? "Boasted specimens could hold fifteen men on horseback". This seems hard to believe~~~~~~ Nancy

Yes, it's true up to a point, but the 15 horses part is a laughable stretch. I don't know how many huge old sycamores were around back in those days, but I do have a photo of one taken in the 1880s -- that tree was more than 50 feet in circumference. It probably could have been used as a one-room cabin if it was hollow. But they would not have hollowed them out by hand -- too much work. They would have used naturally hollow trees.

Guy S.

Thanks....and yes the book says that it needs to be two or three centuries old before it can be naturally hollowed out.. Yes and it says 15 on horseback or 40 off!

The hard part is chasing off the bear that thought it was his! And the snakes, and the bats...

Scott

Oh my
they are one of my most favorite trees (at this moment)..
I love the fact that they have loverly white bark and at a distance
you can see them they pop out we used to call them scarey trees.

They do look scarey!

I think of these Sycamores as overbuilt Pump Me Up muscle trees.
Their arms are SO BIG and strong. I am so impressed!!!

I planted one at our new home and my husband, then our lawn mower
man cut it down with the mower. so now, nothing....wahhhhhhhh

They are truly one of Gods masterpieces. I love a sycamore..
sheri

Has anyone tried Sycamore by seed? We need more on this end of the valley.
I am also trying to positively ID mine. I was getting close with Dirr's Book, but ended up getting myself confused.
K. James

James! I can order by the ton of sycamores for so cheap you won't believe
it. If you want or need, just let me know. We are now ordering for the
Ionia Conservation District Tree Sale and I am putting in orders for Spruces
and Tulip trees and more sycamores. I think they might be a $1.00 a tree.

How kind of you. Bareroot or tube pots?

I'm afraid I must admit that starting them from seed is a symptom of propagating mania. I want to collect seed from local trees (including the state champion) that do well in my climate and soil.
I know someone with the only mature tulip tree in my valley, and I'd like to start some of it from seed as well. Oaks are rare here, but I'm going to fix that too...
K. James

Sow them on the surface of warm, wet sand, press them in slightly, then get out of their way.

Guy S.

Thanks.
Fresh seed? Stratified?

Fresh seed seems to work best, but go pick some right now. Tell them it's spring and they are being dislodged from their parents by March winds and are falling on newly exposed sandbars along a river. What's a little white lie among friends?

Guy S.

Thanks; Guy.
The same lie as telling my Magnolia that it, in fact, lives in New Orleans. It is out-of-the-know as of now.