Sycamore

Leaves

Form

• Deciduous, alternate, simple
• Base wedge-shaped to deeply indented
• Prominently 3-veined
• Usually 3 or 5 lobes
• Notches shallow
• Stipules prominent in spring

Length

• 10–20 cm

Width

• Slightly wider than long
• Central lobe wider than long

Margin

• Coarsely toothed

Buds

Form

• Bluntly cone-shaped
• Covered with a single scale
• Enclosed in the base of the leaf stalk until after leaf fall
• Leaf scars narrow, almost encircling bud
• 5 or more vein scars
• No true terminal bud

Length

• 6–10 mm

Colour

• Reddish

Twigs

Form

• Zigzag, hairless
• Encircled at each leaf scar by stipule scars

Colour

• Brownish

Flowers

Form

• Borne in leaf axils
• Pollen flowers small
• In clusters along the twigs
• Seed flowers larger than pollen flowers
• Long-stalked
• In ball-like clusters near the shoot tips

Colour

• Pollen flowers yellowish-green
• Seed flowers crimson

Structure

• Monoecious

Floral timing

• With the leaves

Fruits

Form

• Solitary ball-like aggregate (a syncarp)
• Hang at the end of a stalk
• Small, 1-seeded, elongated
• Stiff hairs at the base that spread apart when the aggregate breaks up
• Remain on the tree throughout the winter
• Disintegrate gradually

Length

• Stalk 8–16 cm

Width

• 20–35 mm

Colour

• Hairs brownish

Structure

• Achene

Bark

Form

• Smooth
• Flaking off in large, irregular, thin pieces
• Producing a striking mottled effect
• Scaly at the base of mature trees

Colour

• Brownish
• Inner bark green, cream-coloured, or white
• Dark brown at the base of mature trees

Wood

Texture

• Medium heavy, hard, weak

Colour

• Brownish

Morphology

• Diffuse-porous
• Pores scarcely visible to the naked eye
• Rays wide, 2–4 mm high
• Prominent on radial and tangential surfaces

Size

Height

• To 35 m

Diameter

• To 200 cm

Maximum age

• 250 years

Tree form

Forest-grown

Trunk

• Thick

Crown

• Open, spreading
• Massive crooked branches

Root system

Shallow, spreading

Habitat

Site

• Rich bottomlands
• Also on poorly drained soil

Light tolerance

• Moderately shade-tolerant

Associated species

• Scattered individuals mixed with other broadleaf trees
  

Range

Southern Ontario