Everything about Acer Pseudoplatanus totally explained
Acer pseudoplatanus (
Sycamore or
Sycamore Maple to distinguish it from other plants called
sycamore) is a species of
maple native to central
Europe and southwestern
Asia, from
France east to
Poland, and south in mountains to northern
Spain, northern
Turkey, and the
Caucasus.
Description
It is a large
deciduous tree that reaches 20–35 m tall at maturity, with a broad, domed crown. On young trees, the
bark is smooth and grey but becomes rougher with age and breaks up in scales, exposing the pale-brown-to-pinkish inner bark. The
leaves are opposite, 10-25 cm long and broad with a 5-15 cm petiole, palmately-veined with five lobes with toothed edges, and dark green in colour; some
cultivars have purple-tinged or yellowish leaves. The monoecious yellow-green
flowers are produced in spring on 10-20 cm pendulous
racemes, with 20-50 flowers on each stalk. The 5-10 mm diameter
seeds are paired in
samaras, each seed with a 20-40 mm long wing to catch the wind and rotate when they fall; this helps them to spread further from the parent tree. The seeds are mature in autumn about 6 months after pollination.
A number of species of
Lepidoptera use the leaves as a food source; see
Lepidoptera that feed on maples.
The name "sycamore" originally belongs to the
fig species
Ficus sycomorus native to southwest
Asia (this is the sycamore or sycomore referred to in the
Bible), and was later applied to this species (and others; see also
Platanus) by reason of the superficial similarity in leaf shape.
Cultivation and uses
It is noted for its tolerance of wind,
urban pollution and
salt spray, which makes it a popular tree for planting in
cities, along
roads treated with salt in winter, and in
coastal localities. It is cultivated and widely
naturalised north of its native range in northern Europe, notably in the
British Isles and
Scandinavia north to
Tromsø,
Norway (can ripen seeds north to
Vesterålen);
Reykjavík,
Iceland; and
Torshavn on the
Faroe Islands. It now occurs throughout the
British Isles, having been introduced in the 17th century
In
North America, escapes from cultivation are most common in
New England,
New York City and the
Pacific Northwest. It is planted in many temperate parts of the
Southern Hemisphere, most commonly in
New Zealand and on the
Falkland Islands. It is considered an environmental weed in some parts of Australia (Yarra Ranges, Victoria).
The popular cultivar 'Brilliantissimum' is notable for the bright salmon-pink colour of the young foliage.
It is planted for
timber production; the
wood is white with a silky lustre, and hard-wearing, used for
musical instrument making,
furniture,
wood flooring and
parquetry. Occasional trees produce wood with a wavy
grain, greatly increasing the value for decorative
veneers. It is a traditional wood for use in making the backs, necks and scrolls of violins.
The flowers produce abundant nectar, which makes a fragrant, delicately flavoured and pale-coloured honey.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Acer Pseudoplatanus'.
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