Buttonwood, American sycamore, American Planetree, Sycamore, American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis

Family: Platanaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Red. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Pyramidal, Rounded.

Platanus occidentalis is a deciduous Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 30 m (98ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from October to March. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Height (m): 30

Where it is found

Rich soils on the borders of streams and lakes. Often abundant on alluvial soils near streams and lakes and in moist ravines, sometimes on uplands, sometimes on limestone soils.

Eastern N. America - New England to Florida, west to Texas and Nebraska.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

The sweet sap is tapped in the spring and used in the preparation of syrup and sugar.

Sap: usually of trees and usually but not always used as a drink.

Sweetener: includes sugar substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The inner bark is astringent, diuretic, emetic and laxative. It has been used as a tea in the treatment of dysentery, coughs, colds, lung ailments, haemorrhages, measles, milky and difficult urination etc and also as a blood tonic. Externally, it has been used as a wash on wounds. An infusion of the bark and roots has been used as a foot soak for treating rheumatism. The bark ooze has been used as a wash on infected sores and an infusion has been given in the treatment of infant rash. An infusion of the bark, mixed with honey locust bark (Gleditsia triacanthos), has been used as a gargle to treat hoarseness and sore throat.

Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Emetic: Induces vomiting.

Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.

Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.

Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.

Other

Rating: 3

A fairly wind resistant tree, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt planting. Wood - coarse-grained, tough, strong, very durable, difficult to split. Rather weak according to other reports. It weighs 35lb per cubic foot, and is used for furniture, chopping boards etc. Trunks of wild trees can be up to 4.5 metres in diameter and these were at one time hollowed out to make barges capable of carrying several tons of goods.

Shelterbelt: Wind resistant plants than can be grown to provide shelter in the garden etc.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Aggressive surface roots possible, Pollard, Seashore, Specimen, Street tree. Prefers a deep moist loam, though it tolerates very wet, poorly drained soils. Requires full sun. Tolerates atmospheric pollution and compacted soils. Established plants are drought tolerant. Fairly wind-resistant. A fast-growing and long-lived tree, but it is of no value in Britain, being very susceptible to attack by parasitic fungi. Fairly slow-growing according to another report, which also says that the tree is long-lived in the wild. This species does not do well north of Central France, it requires long hot summers to fully ripen its wood. Special Features:Attracts birds, North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed - two months cold stratification improves germination. Sow spring in a cold frame in light shade. Home grown seed is often of poor quality and low viability. It is best to harvest the seed in late winter or spring and then sow it immediately in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of mature wood of the current years growth, 20 - 30 cm with a heel, autumn in a cold frame. Easy. Layering of stools in spring or autumn. Takes 12 months.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy; Bog Garden;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 4-9

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist, wet

Things to keep in mind

In hot dry climates the hairs of the fruits and leaves are believed to cause an effect similar to hay fever.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

P. hispanica. Hort (pro parte). P. macrophylla. Hort. (pro parte). P. vulgaris angulosa.