Wild Wednesday – Sycamore tree
This week's Wild Wednesday celebrates a tree that's both familiar and fascinating - the Sycamore, scientific name Acer pseudoplatanus. A tall, domed tree of the maple family.
With its helicopter seeds, mottled bark, and towering presence, the sycamore is a staple of West Sussex's woodlands, parks, and hedgerows.
Though not native to the UK, the sycamore has made itself at home since its introduction - possibly by the Romans or during the Tudor period. It's now one of the most widespread trees across Britain, thriving in coastal areas like ours thanks to its tolerance for wind, salt spray, and pollution.
In West Sussex, you'll spot sycamores in:
- Arundel's woodland edges
- riverside paths along the Arun
- local parks and gardens, where they provide shade and shelter
Sycamores are a haven for wildlife:
- their leaves feed caterpillars and moths
- their flowers offer nectar for bees and pollinators
- their seeds are a feast for birds
- their bark hosts insects and fungi
They're also popular nesting spots for birds such as robins, blackbirds, and blue tits, and provide shelter for small mammals and bats.
Spotting a sycamore tree, look out for:
- five-lobed leaves with red stalks
- winged seeds (samaras) that spin like helicopters in autumn
- mottled bark that flakes off in patches, revealing lighter tones beneath
In winter, their pink-brown twigs and hairy leaf veins help with identification.
Sycamores have deep roots in folklore:
- in Celtic mythology, they were seen as homes for fairies
- in Welsh tradition, their wood was carved into love spoons - romantic tokens still gifted today
Their timber is prized for its pale, fine grain - perfect for furniture, kitchenware, and even musical instruments.
While sycamores are resilient, they face threats like sooty bark disease and horse chestnut scale. Despite being non-native, they play a vital role in supporting biodiversity and may help replace ash trees lost to disease.
Read more here: Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) - Woodland Trust