Arizona Sycamore
Platanus wrightii
Family: Platanaceae
CHARACTERISTICS
Large deciduous tree, 60’. Male and female in clusters of 2-5 balls each and appear in April-May. Aggregate-like fruits follow in clusters of 2-4. Brilliant fall color (some years better than others depending on timing of cold and rain). Magnificent mottled trunks.
LANDSCAPE USE
Large specimen tree.
GROWING CONDITIONS
AN EXPLANAITION OF TERMS USED
SUN full to part sun
WATER riparian
SOIL prefers sandy or rocky soil, amendments encouraged
HARDINESS hardy to about -10°F
BASIN low zone
CONTAINER does ok in container but will not attain full size
NUTRITION moderate
MAINTENANCE very little
Platanus wrightii photo by Eric Hough on iNaturalist
Platanus wrightii on SEINET
ECOLOGY
Seeds and nesting habitat for many species of birds. Tall trees like this are important in our region, especially for raptors (hawks and owls) as nesting and perching sites. With the loss of riparian habitat, we have lots many of our taller trees in southern Arizona. Larval host for the American Zela Metalmark (Apodemia zela ssp. cleis), the Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus), and the Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus).
ETHNOBOTANY
The wood of sycamores has often been used for many construction applications.
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
Ranges across Arizona and New Mexico and south into Mexico to Sinaloa in canyons and along riparian streams from 2,000-6,500 ft.
TAXONOMY AND NAME
This species is in the Platanaceae, the sycamore family. There are 11 species native to the Northern Hemisphere.
Platanus is Greek platanos for the long-lived, old world plane tree (Platanus orientalis), wrightii is for Charles Wright (1811-1885) an American botanical collector who was on the Mexican Boundary Survey.
The mottled trunks of sycamores are one of the more attractive features of this species. Photo by Jack Dash, SEINET
Foliage and fruit of Arizona sycamore. The leaves are more incised than the Mexican sycamore. Photo by Sue Carnahan, SEINET