Sycamore, Large Trees

Acer pseudoplatanus: Bareroot Sycamore Maple Trees in Standard Sizes

The Sycamore Maple, Acer pseudoplatanus is a big, fast-growing tree that will thrive almost anywhere. It makes a great windbreak for exposed coastal sites and is equally happy in the inner city. Fully grown, a Sycamore is a magnificent specimen, rivalling any of our other large native trees. It is one of the best tall trees for a coastal windbreak. It is great for wildlife, and every child has surely tired themselves out in autumn by throwing the "helicopter" seeds up into the air over and over again (although there is probably an app for that now).
Sycamores can reach a height of about 35-40 metres.

Standard trees are the largest size that we deliver; you can also buy younger Sycamore saplings.
Browse our other Maple varieties, or all of our trees.

Delivery season: Maple trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they are best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it is convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Features:

• Height: 25m
• Soil: Any except totally waterlogged
• Extremely hardy, great for coastal windbreaks
• Excellent timber & firewood
• RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Bareroot delivery only: November-March

Growing Sycamores

It will grow anywhere except in fully waterlogged soil* but is happy on a bank beside water, and doesn't mind being temporarily flooded in winter. It is unaffected by pollution, and arguably grows better in the city because its fallen leaves are typically removed, which pretty much prevents cosmetic damage to the following year's leaves from sycamore tar spot fungus.
They are ideal for exposed coastal locations.

Young trees are pretty shade-tolerant, and will simply grow slowly until they reach more sunlight.

Grey squirrels love chewing the bark of young (or recently coppiced) trees, which is the only reason why this tree is not widely grown by the timber industry. The best way to deal with them is a terrier or beagle who had a light breakfast.

*To be precise, you can't transplant them successfully into very wet soil, but if a seed germinates there and adapts to it from day one, it has a chance.