TREES > ACERS > SYCAMORE

IN THIS GUIDE

ACER GUIDES

leaves, flowers and samaras of a sycamore tree

AphidsCompostLeaves turn BrownProblemsPruningVarieties – Sycamore

Graceful when untested and uncompromising when older , the Acer pseudoplatanus has an inverted - conical , domed or broadly rounded crown of lush grim light-green foliage .

The sycamore tree is often selected for plant in suburban parks and city boulevards for shade and landscaping purposes .

Acer pseudoplatanus with palmate leaves and boomerang-shaped seeds hanging from red stems

This hard species can also defy both strong winds near cliffs and sea spray by the glide , seduce not bad windbreaks when in leaf .

ley or forest , city or country , cliff or seacoast , sycamores are unfussy and will readily grow vigorously anywhere and everywhere , include your garden .

Overview

PreferredFull Sun

ExposureAny

Height15 – 40 megabyte

the variegated white and green leaves of a A. pseudoplatanus ‘leopoldii’ plant

Spread8 – 30 MB

Bloom TimeApril to May

PreferredMost fertile soils

close-up of the green seed pods of a sycamore tree

MoistureMoist but well - drained

pHAny

The sycamore originates in a swath of land from central to southeastern Europe.1Acer pseudoplatanus . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 27 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:781462-1#distributions

Acer pseudoplatanus seedling growing in a tiny pot with a few true serrated leaves

Many centuries back , it became tame in the British Isles without ever really being considered invasive.2Sycamore ( Acer pseudoplatanus ) . ( n.d.-b ) . Woodland Trust . Retrieved March 27 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/sycamore/

Another name for this tree is the ‘ Great Maple ’ , which think over its enormous size when fully mature .

In fact , these tree can reach over 30 one thousand in the wilderness , with some even hitting 40 m.

young sycamore sapling with light green palmate leaves growing in a grassy field

Their canopy have spreads of around 30 thou , whilst their offset often measure 1 m across and can exceed 1.5 m.

“ I have found Sycamore to be a very wind - kind tree diagram , often form a low , dense dome in very airy spots , ” deal Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly .

“ If you have a small garden , it can be managed through periodic pollarding or coppicing . ”

yellow and orange coloured sycamore sapling with thin branches growing in a woodland area

How To Grow A Sycamore Tree

sycamore fig are commonly and inexpensively develop from seed .

An equally vernacular but more dear option , though one that is easy to produce , is to purchase a spare - root or a pot sapling from a nursery specialising in trees .

The advantage of the latter is that you may select a particular cultivar , such as ‘ Leopoldii ’ for itsdelightful motley foliageor ‘ Prinz Handjéry ’ for its very manageable and summary sizing .

glossy wet foliage from a A. pseudoplatanus tree with palmate leaves

Sycamore seeds can be collected from the primer under an existing Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in fall .

As a coinage that self - seeds so pronto , grow in inhospitable places and has colonise new territories , sycamores can be gentle to grow .

That admitted , if you optimize the growing condition , not only do you increase the chances of sprouting , you are more likely to develop a respectable , strong and even tree diagram .

the finely serrated leaves of a sycamore tree in the sun

Note that these trees ’ shallow , fan out and warm roots may disturb the ground by pushing up pavers or causing a path to become uneven .

They can also tap into a cistern or septic organization ; you should select your planting spot with these possibility in mind .

Planting Guidelines

seed can be sown directly into the open ground in fall or set out in can in spring .

The former method acting is the quick and regardless one that you well may attempt for any old lacewood seeds you have collected .

The latter is the stern method that is preferable for planting the seeds of special cultivars .

an abundance of palmate leaves covering the branches of a tall sycamore tree

To promote sprouting for outflow sowing , soak the seed overnight or for up to 24 60 minutes in tepid body of water .

Prepare mud pots with potting mix or seed - starter mix .

Sow seeds by placing them on the land and lightly comprehend them with the get culture medium to about 1 centimeter .

a sycamore tree that has been pollarded to restrict growth

Keep the can in full sunshine and keep them moist .

When the seedling have 6 - 8 straight leaves , graft them into the clear dry land in the correct kind of soil .

grasp a hole 2 - 3 times as big as the width and the deepness of the stack , then dampen the earth .

the dried seed pods from a Acer pseudoplatanus

Before you take away the sapling from the pot , be sure that you cognize where the stain bank line is .

If you need to , mark it on the incipient trunk .

softly remove the sapling from the pot , placing it in the muddle as you spread out the roots .

Acer pseudoplatanus that has been infested with sawfly and has brown patches on its star-shaped leaves

Examine it to check that that its territory line of products is set to the surface of the ground .

Backfill the hole , tamp down the soil to do away with line air hole , watering thinly as you do so .

attempt to ensure that the sapling is absolutely consecutive as you backfill .

leaves of a sycamore tree adorning wooden branches

Fill up the hole so that the soil level is not any higher than what it was in the potful and pack in the soil .

Water the transplanted sapling .

How To Care For Sycamore Saplings

Just like any other sapling , a sycamore sapling will demand initial care .

After that , except for lachrymation under strange circumstances , a sycamore tree does not need any precaution , as such .

Saplings and vernal tree should be watered regularly .

a wooden branch from a sycamore with green leaves and seed pods

Do not allow the soil to dry out and stay juiceless for more than a couple of days .

If you see any sign of the zodiac of the sapling or young Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree grow a thin , stake it .

If you have plant it in a spot where adverse conditions , such as on the loose soil or sloping grounds exist , you may wish to pre - emptively gage it .

Ongoing Sycamore Care

During the sapling and vernal tree stagecoach , apply a bone fertiliser once in spring .

Sprinkle it sparingly well away from the root crown , then employment and water it in .

After the tree has matured and is 6 or more years quondam , you may feed it each year in give with a balanced formula .

In springiness you’re able to mulch the tree diagram to conserve wet .

An constituent mulch made of bark andwood chipswould be a good selection .

Leave a ring of open ground around the luggage compartment with its breadth being proportional to the width of the automobile trunk .

A sycamore sapling should preferably be planted in a spatial relation in full Sunday or in fond shadowiness .

Ultimately , it is the sycamore tree itself that will harbour you from the red-hot sun during the dog days of August .

Sycamores do not have very specific soil requirements and will produce in most type of soil in the UK .

That said , what is undecomposed for the tree diagram is pretty fertile soil that is rather well - drained and mostly moist .

These trees will grow well in a fairly wide range of soil pH tier .

amply grown great maple have shallow but spreading and strong solution .

During normal seasonal weather , they do not need watering , as rain and undersoil body of water will suffice .

However , there is nothing wrong with dropping the hosepipe by the tree and plow on the faucet every now and then .

In unusual circumstances , such as scorching summers or prolonged drought , tearing is necessary .

In such circumstances , drench the ground 1 - 2 times a hebdomad .

The ornamental cultivar , especially the smaller unity , should be watered every week .

sycamore do not expect pruning .

All that you need to do is to prune crossing branches and any ramification that may be growing at an incorrect slant .

For young Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , you may use an incus lopper or a pruning saw .

Pruning may also be done to keep the tree to a manageable size of it in a garden – this is typically done by pollarding it .

Pruning should be done during dormancy , in January or February .

mulberry fig spread themselves through those amusing helicopter - like seed that rotate as they float through the air .

extension by seed is by far the most straight path to get more of these plants .

Besides germ , sycamore can also be spread by two other method , though neither is as easy or as honest as using seeds .

The first method is by softwood cutting off taken in late fountain or early summer .

It is unmanageable to get softwood cuttings from a full - grown plane tree and they do not root very readily .

Conversely , it is easier to obtain them from a very young tree and they also root with a relatively higher rate of winner .

The 2d method is by air layering in spring or fall , which is a very technological and somewhat complicated method acting .

If you mean to propagate by aviation layer a stem from a full - grow tree , this will be difficult but can be a honest method of disseminate this tree and offers a very gamy pace of winner .

Aphids and gall mites are the most coarse problems that sycamores look , but neither is particularly destructive .

aphid are almost a natural consequenceof sycamores because of their flowered ambrosia .

A legion of methods to operate or eliminate these pest are available .

Another problem in the nuisance family is caterpillars , specifically winter moth caterpillars .

On mature trees , this pest is usually ignored , but on saplings and vernal trees , it would be a undecomposed idea to keep in line them using biological methods .

Scale insects , specially horse chestnut tree scale , are believably the most damaging blighter that can attack sycamores , as they suck sap and have small-scale disfiguration .

A serious plague would weaken the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .

To tackle scale , bulge too soon with biologic controls and if that does not serve , move on to pesticide .

Sooty bark disease is a very serious disease that sometimes strikes sycamore that can not be controlled by inexpert gardener .

If this fungal disease is not successfully regale by a professional person it can down the tree diagram .

FAQs

A lifespan of 200 - plus years is quite normal and a good many specimens have lived to 300 years .

They can populate for even 400 years or more.3Sycamore . ( n.d . ) . tenderness of England Forest . Retrieved April 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://heartofenglandforest.org/sycamore

The species Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is definitely very tight maturation , whilst queerly enough , a few cultivar , such as ‘ Esk Sunset ’ , are very ho-hum growing !

Though they are sometimes take a sess and gradually colonize tracts of demesne , they are not look at or sort as incursive in the UK .

The mintage tree is most unsuitable for growing in mickle .

However , the more petite cultivars , such as the aforementioned ‘ Esk Sunset ’ , can be grow in large container , though container - growing can not really be name worthy for any great maple .

Yes .

It is not uncommon to pollard mintage of sycamores in gardens , parks and other urban country , for size and ornamental effect .

Smaller cultivars should not be pollard , at least not by lay nurseryman .

References