AMERICAN SYCAMORE
Native to Georgia
Family: platanaceae
“The White Tree with a Hollow Trunk, Loves the Water”
The hollow trunks of large sycamores provided natural shelter for early settlers, with some even using them as temporary homes.
Fossil evidence indicates that sycamore trees are among the oldest on Earth, with a lineage dating back 66 million years ago. A period dominated by the dinosaurs.
The Pinchot Sycamore oldest and largest American Sycamore trees in the US. It's estimated to be between 350 and 400 years old, with some experts even suggesting it could be older.
The Pinchot Sycamore, the largest tree in Conneticutt and possibly in the US.
The tree was named in honor of influential conservationist and Connecticut resident Gifford Pinchot. It was originally dedicated to Pinchot in 1965, and re-dedicated with an engraved stone marker in 1975.
The American sycamore is a massive tree that can attain the largest trunk diameter of any eastern United States hardwood.
Its bark is unique among trees—you can recognize a sycamore just by looking at the jigsaw shapes of its peeling bark that sheds in large strips.
American sycamore leaves are a striking feature of the tree, reaching 8 to 12 inches. These broad, palmately lobed leaves are a primary reason why sycamores are popular shade trees.
The fuzzy velvet-like feel of the reverse side helps to identify the sycamore species.
The fruit is a spherical, ball-like structure composed of numerous small, seed-like fruits called achenes.These balls hang from the tree on long stalks, and are initially green, maturing to a tan or brown color in the fall. The individual pods are covered in fine hairs, which aid in wind dispersal when the ball breaks apart.