Research conducted and descriptions written by Burley Middle School 6th grade students in 2023 with minor editing by RCA staff.
The American sycamore, Platanus occidentalis, is also known as the American planetree, the buttonwood tree, and the water beech. It has smooth jigsaw-patterned bark, broad leaves, and can grow up to 150 feet tall! It has large, smelly, green flowers, which bloom in April and May. The native habitat of the American sycamore is moist soils in wetlands and riparian zones, which is the area of land near a stream or river. This tree provides lots of shade and habitat for birds and other animals. Native Americans also used the sycamore for a variety of medicinal purposes. These include cold and cough remedies, as well as dietary, dermatological, respiratory, and gastrointestinal aids. It is mildly resistant to bugs and deer, and is also just a good looking tree!
Fun fact: This tree can sometimes be hollow. It is the largest hardwood tree native to North America (in terms of trunk diameter). The largest sycamore on record had a diameter of nearly 15 feet. That’s more than the length of the average car!