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The first 47 years of my life were spent in the "burbs". Four years ago my husband and I moved to an old (apx. 170 yrs.) farmhouse with 21 acres of land around it. A good bit of it is fields, but we have some wooded areas and lots of springs and a small creek. But, we have NO sycamores! We're in southwestern PA and I know sycamores grow here. I read that they do better if they are planted a zone north of their origin. My goal is to find a source for good sized trees (hopefully not to expensive) that I can plant near the creek. I see huge trees that grow along the wet areas along Interstate 79. There are also some that have grown to be huge and they aren't near any water. They are so beautiful. Especially on a dreary winter day. I'm hoping that if I grow them with some protection - maybe a fence, the deer will leave them alone. We have a lot of deer, but there seems to be enough food for them out here so they have been leaving my plantings alone. Of course, we also have a beagle that loves to "woo-ooo-ooo". He doesn't chase them but I think they find him annoying so they don't come close to the house! That won't help the sycamores though, since they will be planted quite a ways from the house.
Melody, I was wondering if it is possible to tell if a young sycamore will have more white on it as it grows older. One of the Pittsburgh cemeteries has a row of sycamores along the perimeter. Some are very white and some don't show very much white. If I can I'd like to pick out ones with more whiteness.
Thanks for a great article. I'm going to save it with my info on trees.
Hi there! I know right where Washington is. Been through there many, many times. There are some spectacular Sycamores growing along the interstate. I always enjoyed how beautiful they were there. Western PA is lovely, by the way. My ancestors met Gen George Rogers Clark in Brownsville (used to be Red Stone) and floated down the Monongahela to the Ohio River in 1777 and founded Louisville.
As to your question, I do not know the answer. The bark of a Sycamore does not expand, so it chips and shreds off. That is why the younger branches are usually whiter...they are actively growing.
If you choose a tree with lots of white, it will keep that trait as it grows. That's about the only advice I can offer. Also, deer don't find sycamores very tasty. They will eat other plants before eating Sycamores...but they will eat them if there is nothing else. They just have other things that they like better.
