Friday, 9 August 2013

Acer pseudoplatanus – Sycamore Maple


Sycamore maple is a fast growing, vigorous deciduous tree with a broadly domed crown. Its bark is greyish, broken up by numerous fissures into irregular patched that can sometimes fall away revealing an orange under layer. Its branches are quite thick near the main bole, terminating in grey-green twigs with pale lenticels and reddish buds.

Its leaves are opposite, up to 15cm long and divided into 5 toothed lobes. The leaves produce a bright green display in spring as they are so large and abundant. Its flowers are prolific, pendulous yellow clusters up to 12cm long opening about the same time as the leaves in April/May. Paired fruits ripen during the summer and reach a length of 6cm. They are green in colour to begin with becoming redder and finally brown and dried. It has a horseshoe shaped, winged fruit that spreads easily as it is carried effectively by the wind. Sycamore is native to the hills and uplands of central and South Europe but it is widely planted and naturalised elsewhere, including Britain and Ireland. It does well on heavy soils and tolerates coastal conditions as well as uplands. It can dominate woodlands and can be quite invasive if unmanaged. 









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