Let’s learn about…. The American Sycamore!
(Picture taken by Resident Linda at Coronado Woods)
For our second (slightly late!) September nature segment, we had a special request from Coronado’s own community member, Linda, to talk about this absolutely stunning tree here at Coronado Woods!
Plantanus occidentalis is a tree known by many names: the American Sycamore, American planetree, western plane, occidental plane, buttonwood, spikey ball tree, and water beech. This stately tree is native to the eastern and central United States, the mounts of northeastern Mexico, extreme southern Ontario, and rarely in the extreme southern areas of Quebec. Wow – that is a lot of distance!
Fun Fact! Sycamore tree timber is a hardwood. It is used to make musical instruments, butcher’s blocks, and furniture.
This tree can be easily distinguished from other trees by its mottled bark which flakes off in large irregular masses, leaving the surface mottled and gray, greenish-white and brown. You can see these beautiful trees all around Coronado Woods.
Did you know? The bark of all trees has to yield to a growing trunk by stretching, splitting, or infilling, but sycamore bark is more rigid and less elastic than the bark of other trees, so to accommodate the growth of the wood underneath, the tree sheds it in large, brittle pieces.
The sycamore tree is also known for its seed distribution – where it drops spikey balled fruit called acorns (not to be confused with the acorns from Oak trees). The seed balls appear on the tree in late fall or winter and fall to the ground in the spring. Sycamore balls contain tufts of fluffy tiny winged seeds. The seeds disperse easily in spring when the brown balls fall to the ground.
Symbiotic Relationship! The American Sycamore is the host plant to the Sycamore Tussock Moth – a species which specializes it’s own camouflage for this exact tree – and is also a major host for the Drab Prominent Moth.
Nature in your Neighborhood: Discover the magic that lies outside!
Is there a plant or animal you’ve seen around Coronado Woods that you’d like to see featured? Let us know!
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