Sycamore Mexican
Sycamore Mexican
Location on Farm:
Regular price
$34500
$345.00
Sale price$30400
$304.00
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🌱 Planting Installation
Mexican Sycamore is a fast-growing, stately deciduous shade tree native to northeastern and central Mexico. Renowned for its bold architectural presence and striking ornamental bark, this majestic specimen rapidly develops a broad, open, spreading canopy. Its large, olive-green, maple-like leaves measure six to eight inches across with three to five pointed lobes. The undersides of the leaves are densely coated in soft, silvery-white woolly hairs, creating a dazzling two-tone visual effect as breezes flip the foliage to display flashes of brilliant white against the deep green upper canopy. In early spring, small, inconspicuous reddish-green flower clusters yield dense, spherical seed balls hanging on slender stalks, while its trunk matures to showcase smooth, exfoliating bark that flakes off in patches to reveal brilliant white, smooth cream, and silvery-gray inner bark.
In expansive residential lawns, parks, commercial developments, and urban streetscapes, Mexican Sycamore matures to an impressive height of forty to sixty feet with a spread of thirty to fifty feet. It is widely regarded as one of the premier large shade trees for hot, dry regions, casting deep, cooling shade through blistering summer months while adding dramatic winter interest through its stark white trunk once its leaves drop in autumn.
| Scientific Name | Platanus mexicana (Mexican Sycamore) |
| Foliage: Deciduous |
Fast-growing, majestic deciduous shade tree with a broad, open, spreading canopy structure. Leaves: Alternate, large, maple-like 3–5 lobed leaves (6–8 in wide); olive-green and smooth on top, featuring striking, silvery-white woolly undersides that shimmer in breezes; golden-brown fall foliage. Flowers: Monoecious; inconspicuous, small, spherical reddish-green floral clusters appearing in early spring alongside emerging foliage. Fruit: Dense, fuzzy, spherical seed balls (1 in diameter) hanging individually or in pairs from long stems. Seeds: Minute achenes packed inside the spherical fruit heads, surrounded by fine hairs dispersed by winter winds. Bark: Exceptionally ornamental; young olive-brown bark flakes away in large patches to reveal smooth, striking, bright white to smooth silvery-cream inner bark on trunks and large limbs. |
| Life Span: Perennial | 100–150+ years |
| Mature Height | 40–60 ft (Can reach up to 80 ft in rich, moist soils) |
| Mature Width (Spread) | 30–50 ft |
| Growth Rate | Fast to Extremely Fast (3–4+ ft per year when young) |
| USDA Zone / Chill Hours | Zones 7a–10b (Cold-hardy down to 0°F to 5°F); Low chill requirement (~200–300 hours) |
PLANT CARE & CHARACTERISTICS
Light Requirements: Full Sun (Requires 6+ hours of direct sunlight daily for fast growth and strong branching).
Water Requirements: Moderate; thrives with consistent deep moisture while young, becoming remarkably drought-tolerant once established.
Drought Resistance: High (Considerably more heat- and drought-tolerant than American Sycamore).
Soil Type: Highly adaptable; thrives in heavy clay, rich loam, sandy, or alkaline limestone soils; pH 6.0–8.5; highly tolerant of high-pH Southwestern soils. Adding organic matter such as compost or aged manure to the planting hole can improve soil fertility and structure and promote healthy root growth.
Deer Resistance: High (Tough foliage and tall canopy are rarely targeted by deer).
Pest / Disease Resistance: Superior resistance to bacterial leaf scorch and anthracnose compared to American Sycamore; resistant to cotton root rot; highly pest-free.
Pollination: Wind-pollinated.
Yield: Heavy, dense canopy shade and abundant ornamental bark interest year-round.
Pruning: Prune in late winter during dormancy to train a strong central leader, raise the lower canopy for clearance, and remove any dead or rubbing branches.
Landscape Use: Mexican Sycamores are valued for their large size, attractive foliage, and adaptability to a variety of growing conditions, making them excellent shade trees for parks, large landscapes, and residential yards. They are also suitable for planting along waterways, where their extensive root systems help stabilize banks and prevent erosion. Mexican Sycamores can be used as specimen trees, focal points, or shade trees in gardens and landscapes, where their distinctive foliage and bark add visual interest and natural beauty. Additionally, they provide habitat and food for wildlife, making them valuable components of wildlife gardens and riparian habitats. Overall, the Mexican Sycamore is a majestic and versatile tree that adds beauty, shade, and ecological value to the landscape.