Common names: sycamore 

Irish name: Seiceamar 

Latin name: Acer pseudoplatanus 

Family: Sapindaceae 

Origin: Native to central, eastern, and southern Europe 

Tree type: Deciduous broadleaf tree

How it looks

Shape, bark, twigs

The sycamore tree can grow up to 35m high. Its branches spread out wide forming a dome shaped canopy. When young, the bark is dark pink-grey and smooth, but it becomes scaly/flaky with age and develops small plates. The twigs are pink-brown and hairless.

Buds

Sycamore buds are big (5-10 mm), pointed, and occur in opposite pairs. They are enclosed by large green scales with brown tips. When the bud opens, the scale leaves fall away, leaving a scar surrounding the stem.

Leaves

Appearing in May, the large leaves of a sycamore tree grow between 7 and 16 cm and are arranged in opposite pairs along the twigs. They have five distinct lobes, with rounded toothed margins. Like other maple trees, sycamore leaves are bright green in the spring and summer and turn shades of red, yellow, and orange in the autumn before they fall. Leaf stalks of younger trees are characteristically red.

Flowers

In May, the flowers appear at the same time as the leaves. The small pale green flowers hang in long, yellow-green clusters known as panicles. Each panicle measures between 5-20cm long. The sycamore tree reproductive system is complex. Most flowers are morphologically hermaphrodite (having both male and female organs in the same flower), but all flowers are functionally unisexual (flowers function as either male or female). Although they look the same, female functioning flowers are found at the top of the panicle, and male functioning flowers are below. Insects mostly pollinate the flowers, but a small proportion can be pollinated by wind.

Fruits

After pollination, female flowers develop into winged fruits known as samaras. Samaras are long and flat and grow in pairs shaped like the letter ‘v’. They are also called ‘helicopters’ because they spin through the air when falling from the tree. These wind-dispersed seeds can be blown up to 4 km! However, most seeds fall within 200m of the parent tree. The seeds will then germinate in the following spring.

Similar species

Two species that look similar to the sycamore are the field maple, Acer campestre, and the Norway maple, Acer platanoides.  All three species have five-lobed leaves. However, the sycamore leaf is strongly toothed, while the others either have no teeth or very few. Another difference is that the sycamore tree seeds are far more ‘V’ shaped.

Where to find it

The sycamore tree is not native to Ireland and was introduced here during the early seventeenth century as a shade tree for parks and large estates. Since then, it quickly naturalised and is now one of the most common trees across Ireland. They grow in almost any soil but prefer deep, rich, moist, and well-drained soil. The seed is highly fertile, so sycamore has spread quickly and is known as an invasive species in many countries to which it has been introduced. Sycamore is native to central, eastern, and southern Europe.

Cultural importance

History | Myth | Literature

History 

While it is certain that sycamore was introduced to Ireland in the early seventeenth century and extensively planted on landed estates thereafter, one pollen study has suggested that it may have originally been introduced to Ireland as early as the Neolithic period (c. 4000-2500 BC), with the arrival of the first farmers. However, further research is required to confirm this.  

Some sources suggest that sycamore was introduced by the Romans to Britain, from whence it came to Ireland. Another source proposes that it was brought during the Medieval period by knights returning from the crusades in the Holy Land, and yet another maintains that it was introduced in the 1500s during the Tudor period. 

In addition to its value as an ornamental parkland tree, sycamore has historically been used to make musical instruments, as in the case of violin backs. It was also commonly used to make wooden household objects, such as bowls, plates and spoons. Today, the latter can be found in most people’s kitchens in the form of the ‘wooden spoon’. Sycamore was also traditionally used to make Welsh ‘love spoons’, which were gifted by a suitor to his preferred bride as a symbol of love and romantic intent.  

Sycamores can live to a great age. For example, the Birnam Oak in Dunkeld, Scotland is over 300 years old,  and the beautiful veteran sycamore on the Druid's Glen golf course, Co. Wicklow is thought to be at almost the same age. One particularly famous veteran sycamore was the iconic tree that once stood at the ‘Sycamore Gap’ along Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, UK, but was controversially felled in 2023 in what has been described as an act of vandalism. The tree was treasured by locals and tourists and became world-renowned after it featured in the 1991 film, ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’. 

Myth, Legend and Folklore 

The sycamore is variously associated in different cultures with fertility, love, protection and the sacred. In ancient Greece it was linked to the Goddess Hera, symbolising marriage and childbirth, whilst in Norse mythology it was associated with Freya, the Goddess of war, love and fertility. For Celtic peoples, the sycamore was seen as a magical, protective tree where fairies and spirits resided. In Celtic mythology, the sycamore is also associated with the idea of the sacred ‘world tree’ that connected heaven, earth and the underworld. 

The mystical nature of sycamores is supported by a story from Clonenagh, Co. Laois. As the story goes, there was once a holy well at Clonenagh that had been popular amongst pilgrims from the Medieval period onwards. However, it was filled in by a landowner in the 1800s. Not long after, the water from the well miraculously started to flow through a nearby hollow sycamore. Locals and visitors hung rags on the tree and hammered coins into its trunk as offerings. Consequently, it became known as ‘The Money Tree of Clonenagh’.  

Literature 

The sycamore features in a number of famous poems by poets such as William Butler Yeats (Coole Park 1929), Oscar Wilde (Charmides) and Walt Whitman (American Feuillage). Of particular note, are the poems, Young Sycamore by William Carlos Williams and The Sycamore by Wendell Berry, which specifically draw attention to the form and virtues of the sycamore itself.  

Sycamore also features in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in which it is associated with ‘melancholy lovers’. 

Value to wildlife

Sycamore canopies cast dense shade, which can negatively impact native ground flora. Additionally, it supports fewer associated insects than native tree species. In early spring, the flowers provide a food source for several insect species, and they can also support many epiphytic lichens on their bark. They are popular nesting sites for blackbirds, robins, and blue tit and provide shelter for small mammals and bats. However, sycamore quickly establishes in disturbed areas and, as a result, displaces native woodland tree species. 

Threats

Although not confirmed to be present in Ireland, sycamore trees are susceptible to sooty bark disease. This disease is present in the UK and could make its way to Ireland. Sooty bark disease can lead to crown wilting and make the tree more susceptible to other fungal diseases, resulting in the tree's death.   

Sycamore can also be affected by horse chestnut scale insects, which appear as fluffy white spots on the trunk and branches during the summer. These scale insects are now widespread in Ireland. 

Uses

Sycamore wood is known for its hardness and strength. Its pale cream colour and fine grain make it an excellent choice for carving. Due to its resistance to staining and food tainting, it is commonly used to make kitchen utensils such as chopping boards and wooden spoons. It is also widely used for furniture making, joinery, and flooring and can be finished to a very smooth surface. However, if used outdoors, sycamore wood requires preservative treatment as it is not durable. 

They are often found in parks, large gardens, and coastal areas for shade and windbreaks. They are ideal street trees as they tolerate pollution. 

References

Woodland Trust. 2024. A-Z of British trees. Woodland Trust. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/ 

All Poetry. N.d.  Young Sycamore – William Carlos Williams, All Poetry Website. Young Sycamore by William Carlos Williams - Famous poems, famous poets. - All Poetry 

Inward Bound Poetry. 2007. The Sycamore – Wendell Berry, Inward Bound Poetry Blogspot.Inward Bound Poetry: 553. The Sycamore - Wendell Berry 

McMahon, P. 2023. Island of Woods: How Ireland lost Its Forests and How to Get them Back. Dublin: New Island Press. 

Muller-Heyndyk, R. 2023. How old was the Sycamore Gap tree? The age of the landmark explained and if a felled tree can be saved, iNews. How old was the Sycamore Gap tree? The age of the landmark explained and if a felled tree can be saved (inews.co.uk) 

Poetry Soup. 2024. Famous Sycamore Poems by Famous Poets, Poetry Soup. Famous Sycamore Poems | Examples of Famous Sycamore Poetry (poetrysoup.com) 

Stroh, P. A., Humphrey, T. A., Burkmar, R. J., Pescott, O. L., Roy, D. B., & Walker, K. J. (2023). BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas 

The Hazel Tree. 2017. Sycamore: colonist or custodian? The Hazel Tree. Sycamore: colonist or custodian? – The Hazel Tree 

Warner, D. 2013. Sycamores are not a native tree, Irish Examiner. DICK WARNER: Sycamores are not a native tree (irishexaminer.com) 

Weller, P. n.d. Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Navigators Website. Romeo and Juliet Navigator (ewu.edu) 

Woodland Trust. 2024. Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), Woodland Trust. Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) - Woodland Trust