How to Plant and Grow Sycamore

Sycamore is a large tree that should only be planted in a natural landscape where there is plenty of space. Not only because of the tree’s size—it grows up to 90 feet tall and 70 feet wide—but also because it creates considerable litter. On the upside, sycamore is an attractive, fast-growing shade tree that withstands air pollution. It has a rounded, open, wide-spreading form, and massive branches.

The tree's bark peels off in large sheets, exposing the pale color of the inner bark and creating a multicolored effect. The exfoliating bark is visible from a distance, lending it special winter interest. Sycamores produce distinctive spiked seed balls that persist on the tree through the winter. Sycamore is native to North America and serves as a food source for wildlife. Native songbirds eat the seeds and use the tree for nesting. If grown in suitable conditions, sycamore has a lifespan of up to 200 years.

Where to Plant Sycamore

Plant the tree in a location that can accommodate the size of the mature tree, ideally in full sun. The only key requirement for the soil is that it is well-drained but does not dry out; otherwise, sycamore is adaptable to a range of soil types and pH levels.

Planted as a specimen tree, sycamore makes a stately centerpiece in a landscape. However, planting it in the center of a lawn is not recommended because the tree drops considerable amounts of leaves, twigs, and seed balls. If not cleaned up, these affect the healthy growth of the turfgrass underneath. A naturalized setting such as a meadow with consistent moisture or a rain garden is a much better location for the tree. Sycamore can be planted near a black walnut tree.

How and When to Plant Sycamore

Plant the tree in the early spring. Dig a hole that is at least twice as wide and has the same depth as the tree’s root ball. Place the tree in the planting hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil. Backfill with the original soil and water well. During the first growing season, keep the young tree well-watered in the absence of rain.

To give the tree adequate room to grow, leave a 60-foot distance to other trees and shrubs.

Sycamore Care Tips

If planted in a location where its litter does not bother you, sycamore requires very little care.

Light

Sycamore is best planted in a location with full sun but it tolerates partial shade too.

Soil and Water

In terms of soil conditions, sycamore is quite adaptable. Although it prospers in rich, well-drained soil, it grows in all kinds of soil types, including salty soil, temporarily wet or saturated soil, and acidic to alkaline soil (pH 5.0 to 8.0).

Consistent moisture is key. Prolonged periods of dry soil can affect the lifespan of the tree. If the soil is not naturally moist, water the tree during dry spells.

Temperature and Humidity

With a wide native range that stretches from the eastern and central United States, to northeastern Mexico and into southern Ontario and Quebec, the sycamore tree is well-adapted to both cold winters and hot summers. It does not have any specific humidity requirements but does not fare well in a hot, arid climate.

Fertilizer

Usually a single springtime application of a complete tree fertilizer is sufficient. However, if the tree has been infected with sycamore anthracnose and as a result has suffered the loss of leaves and twigs, applying nitrogen fertilizer in the early spring of the following year after the leaves emerge is recommended to boost foliage growth.

Pruning

Sycamore trees need regular pruning to promote a central leader, remove dead, diseased, or broken branches, and maintain the desired shape of the tree. Prune the tree during its dormancy after the leaf drop in the fall and late winter. As the tree grows taller, you might have to enlist the services of an arborist to prune the tree.

Pests and Problems

Pests affecting the sycamore tree include including borers, scales, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and spider mites. A serious disease is sycamore anthracnose, which severely damages foliage and twigs and often leads to premature leaf drop. Other potential diseases of sycamore are canker, leaf spots, and powdery mildew.

Because its wood is soft, the tree is susceptible to wind damage.

Sycamore is considered a messy tree that drops its twigs, leaves, bark, and fruiting balls and creates considerable litter.

How to Propagate Sycamore

The easiest way to propagate sycamore is from hardwood cuttings. Take 4- to 8-inch cuttings with buds from a healthy tree. At the base of each cutting, below a node, make a horizontal cut with sharp pruners or a knife. Remove the soft upper end of each cutting. Dip the cut bottom ends in rooting hormone and insert cuttings in 6-inch pots filled with damp potting mix, deep enough so the lower buds are buried. Place the pots in a cold frame or an unheated greenhouse in bright light but away from direct sunlight. Water lightly to prevent the soil from drying out. Once new growth appears on the cuttings and they don’t wiggle when you gently tug on them, they have rooted. Let the cuttings grow into healthy saplings for at least one growing season before transplanting them into the landscape.

Types of Sycamore

London Planetree

Platanus x acerifolia is a natural hybrid between the American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and the Oriental sycamore (Platanus orientalis). It dates back to the mid-1600s and became known as the London planetree because it was widely planted in London and other European cities for its tolerance of urban pollution. There are several improved cultivars of the London planetree. ‘Bloodgood', ‘Columbia', and ‘Liberty' are resistant to sycamore anthracnose and preferred choices over the American sycamore, which is highly susceptible to the disease.