sycamore fact sheet
- Magnificent domed canopy
- Up to 35m high
- Smooth grey-brown bark when young becoming scaly and flaky with maturity
- Stout twigs with fat, green buds
- Leaves are large, maple-leaf shape, with five pointed lobes
- Flowers hang in long, spiky clusters
Autumn colours not as spectacular as field maple
The paired, winged fruit (keys) are green tinged with red and ripen to brown
Where found
One of our commonest and most widespread trees, found almost everywhere
When to look for
Fabulous sycamore facts
The sycamore tree is not native to the British Isles - it came from central and south-east Europe
It is thought to have been introduced some time between the Roman occupation and the 16th century, and has become established strongly only over the last 200 years
Sycamore has a significant ecological role as it supports huge numbers of aphids, which provide a important food source for wildlife
It is one of the fastest growing broad-leaved trees in the UK
Some sycamore trees develop a wavy-grained timber, which is prized for making musical instruments and producing veneer
The flowers produce abundant nectar, which makes a fragrant, delicately scented and pale-coloured honey
Sycamore wood was traditionally used for milk pails because it imparts no taste