American sycamore

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iAmerican Sycamore

American Sycamore

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Proteales
Family:	Platanaceae
Genus:	Platanus
Species:	P. occidentalis

Binomial name

Platanus occidentalis
L.

The American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), also known as American plane and Buttonwood, is one of the species of Platanus native to North America, where it is rather confusingly often just called Sycamore, which can refer to other types of tree.

It forms a massive tree, typically reaching up to 30-40 metres high. In its native range, it is often found in riparian and wetland areas. The range extends from Iowa to Ontario and Maine in the north, Nebraska in the west, and south to Texas to Florida. Closely related species (see Platanus) occur in Mexico and the southwestern states of the U.S.A. It is sometimes grown for timber, and has become naturalised in some areas outside its native range. It has been planted at Ottawa, and is sold as far south as Okeechobee. It is frequently seen in parts of the Pacific Northwest.

American sycamore is susceptible to Plane anthracnose disease (Apiognomonia veneta, syn. Gnomonia platani), an introduced fungus naturally found on the Oriental plane P. orientalis, which has evolved considerable resistance to the disease. Although rarely killed or even seriously harmed, American sycamore is commonly partially defoliated by the disease, rendering it unsightly as a specimen tree. As a result, American sycamore is not often planted; the more resistant London plane (P. x hispanica; hybrid P. occidentalis x P. orientalis) being preferred instead.

The American sycamore is also the favored food plant of the pest sycamore leaf beetle.