Taxonomy
| Clade | angiosperm |
|---|
| Family | Platanaceae |
|---|
| Genus | Platanus |
|---|
| Species | occidentalis |
|---|
| Common Name | American sycamore |
|---|
| iTree Code | PLOC |
|---|
Plant Form
| Form | Tree: tall, large crown |
|---|
| Height | 100 feet |
|---|
| Spread | 60 feet |
|---|
| Deciduous | Yes |
|---|
Identification Description
| Foliage | lobed (like maple), dark/shiny green, coarse toothed edge, 4-8” wide |
Leaf Type
 |
Simple |
|---|
| Bark | mottled brown/white/green, flaking/patchy & creamy/white smooth underneath |
|---|
| Bud | false terminal bud, single bud-cap, lateral buds hidden under leaf-stem |
Bud Arrangement
|
Alternate |
|---|
| Twig | slender, red-brown |
|---|
| Flower | both male and female on single tree; male- yellow, female-red |
|---|
| Fruit | round “ball” (achene) of many tightly packed seeds, persists in winter |
|---|
| Fall Color | brown |
|---|
Site Characteristics
| USDA Zones
|
pH Levels | Salt Tolerance |
| Min | 4a |
Min | 4.9 |
Soil | Intolerant |
| Max | 9b |
Max | 6.5 |
Spray | Intolerant |
| Shade Tolerance | Drought Tolerance | Allelopathy |
| Intermediate |
Moderate |
No |
Species Status
| Nebraska Native |
|
|---|
| U.S. Native |
|
|---|
| Region of Origin | United States, Mexico |
|---|
