Sycamore

This is a picturesque large deciduous tree, which is a non-native. It is a fast growing spreading, rounded tree, which can grow to a height of 100 feet with a spread of 80 feet but is often much less as it grows in such a wide variety of soils and sites from rich sheltered soils to poor, rocky windswept, exposed conditions.

It has naturalized itself in Ireland and after Ash the Sycamore is now the commonest hedgerow tree in Ireland. It is considered as a weed by foresters because its timber is of little use as a structural timber.

However wood turners and furniture makers are now using it in their work. They have discovered that by leaving cut pieces upright that the moisture moves down and out of the wood quite quickly and the wood becomes workable and valuable.

It has sloped dark green leaves 4-8 inches long, which can and usually does develop tar spot in late summer or autumn, which manifests itself as dark spots on the leaves. Yellow-green flowers are produced in pendent panicles to 5 inches long, followed by green, sometimes red winged fruit.

It is a useful tree for planting in exposed sites or in towns and cities as it can tolerate pollution. Because of the ease with which its seeds germinate it is not a good garden tree as self sown seedlings will sprout up all over the garden.

2 Sycamore trees in June