Plant
American sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
Also known as: sycamore, buttonwood, American planetree
One of the most-distinctive native trees of eastern North America — large, fast-growing, tolerant of moist soils, with mottled white-green-brown bark that peels off in irregular plates and large palmate leaves. Common at Staten Island streamsides, residential plantings, and moist forest edges. Among the largest hardwoods in the Eastern U.S. — historic specimens have reached over 13 ft trunk diameter.
Scientific
[[plane-tree|Platanus]] occidentalis is a 75–100 ft (occasionally to 175 ft) deciduous tree with iconic mottled bark — older bark sloughs off in irregular plates revealing pale green and white inner bark. Large palmate leaves resembling maple leaves. Distinctive ball-shaped seed clusters that persist on bare branches through winter.
Fast-growing and exceptionally large at maturity. The largest American sycamore on record had a trunk diameter exceeding 13 feet. Long-lived (300+ years possible). Hollow mature trees provide nest cavities for many species, including chimney swifts (which historically nested almost exclusively in hollow sycamores before adapting to chimneys).
Particularly tolerant of urban conditions — air pollution, compacted soil, restricted root space. Widely planted as a street tree.
On Staten Island
Common at the borough’s streamsides, residential plantings, and moist forest edges. Distinctive even at a distance — the white inner bark of mature trees stands out against winter forest. Often used as a landmark species because individual large sycamores are recognizable for decades.
See also
Auto-generated from this entry’s typed relations: frontmatter, grouped by relation type so the editorial signal isn’t flattened.
- Member of: [[plants]]
- Contained by: [[staten-island]]
Sources
- USDA Forest Service Silvics of North America: American sycamore
- USDA NRCS Plants Database
Rooted in life.
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Scientific
cousin of
- Plane tree auto-linked from body mention
1 inbound link · 2 outbound