"American Sycamore"
Latin Name:Plantanus occidentalis

Sycamore is one of the largest eastern hardwoods. Its height can reach a 100' or more. Trunk girth is from 2' to 4' on average, but is often much larger.

The tree grows from Maine to Florida, and west to Nebraska. Its fruit is in the form of a small brown ball composed of many nutlets which mature in autumn.

As a member of the maple family, it is not surprising that American Sycamore resembles sugar maple in color and grain pattern; but, it is considerably softer. Its clean appearance and smooth finishing properties made it popular with carvers and turners for butter molds, bowls, platters and tableware.

American Sycamore is used for furniture parts, millwork, flooring, pulpwood and particleboard. By long tradition, its European counterpart has been used for the sides and backs of violins, fiddles and guitars. Sycamores with wavy or fiddle-back figure are generally dedicated to veneer. The tree has the largest trunk diameter of any American hardwood. The current champion is nearly 11' around at the base.

Brian Braskie