Sycamore Fruiting Balls
A surprise find in the Rouge National Park, the lovely sycamore!
American Sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis)
The sycamore can grow to be 35 m in height, 200 cm in diameter, and live to be 250 years old, making it one of the largest deciduous trees in eastern North America. The largest American Sycamore tree in Ontario is located in Alvinston and has a diameter at breast height of 236 cm. Other common names include buttonwood and buttonball-tree after the fuzzy, spherical fruiting balls that dangle from the tree like Christmas ornaments. Each fruiting ball contains numerous, tiny seed-like fruits that are carried by wind and water, and require sunlight to germinate. The sycamore can be easily identified in all seasons by its distinctive bark. The outer brown bark flakes off in large patches exposing the green, white or cream-coloured inner bark creating a camouflage-looking pattern.
spherical fruiting balls that dangle from the tree like Christmas ornaments. Each fruiting ball contains numerous, tiny seed-like fruits that are carried by wind and water, and require sunlight to germinate. The sycamore can be easily identified in all seasons by its distinctive bark. The outer brown bark flakes off in large patches exposing the green, white or cream-coloured inner bark creating a camouflage-looking pattern.
from the Arboretum UofGuelph
Sycamore Fruiting Balls
A surprise find in the Rouge National Park, the lovely sycamore!
American Sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis)
The sycamore can grow to be 35 m in height, 200 cm in diameter, and live to be 250 years old, making it one of the largest deciduous trees in eastern North America. The largest American Sycamore tree in Ontario is located in Alvinston and has a diameter at breast height of 236 cm. Other common names include buttonwood and buttonball-tree after the fuzzy, spherical fruiting balls that dangle from the tree like Christmas ornaments. Each fruiting ball contains numerous, tiny seed-like fruits that are carried by wind and water, and require sunlight to germinate. The sycamore can be easily identified in all seasons by its distinctive bark. The outer brown bark flakes off in large patches exposing the green, white or cream-coloured inner bark creating a camouflage-looking pattern.
spherical fruiting balls that dangle from the tree like Christmas ornaments. Each fruiting ball contains numerous, tiny seed-like fruits that are carried by wind and water, and require sunlight to germinate. The sycamore can be easily identified in all seasons by its distinctive bark. The outer brown bark flakes off in large patches exposing the green, white or cream-coloured inner bark creating a camouflage-looking pattern.
from the Arboretum UofGuelph