better known to us tree nerds as platanus occidentalis or in california, platanus racemosa
a good way to distinguish a sycamore tree from other's that look similar (like maple) is by identifying its smooth, whitish bark, which sheds & peels off in large flakes. splotches, where bark has peeled off, can be brown, green, or gray.
the sycamore is also called the american plane, occidental plane and buttonwood tree.
the ball-shaped fruit clusters contain thousands of tiny winged seeds. the seeds can be dispersed by birds and other animals that eat them. in the right climate, if those seeds (or their poop with seeds in it) land in the dirt, those seeds grow into new sycamore trees!
sycamore trees can reach ages of five hundred to six hundred years.
in malibu canyon, here by the beach in los angeles, if you look real close you can see hawks and owls roosting in the upper branches.
if you are really into sycamore and coffee, the chips of bark from trunk and roots can be boiled for coffee.
///////////////////// sycamores are punk because they are able to endure big city environments and still stay beautiful and strong. /////////////////
