Did you guess Sycamore for last week’s puzzler? When I was a kid we had a giant Sycamore tree beside the driveway in the front yard in western New York and while it was awesome for the shade it provided, I don’t think my Mom was a fan of the Sycamore balls that fell to the lawn. In addition, you may have noticed this tree has thin bark that peels off and falls to the ground, especially at the top of the tree. Personally I think the Sycamore is one of the most majestic and interesting trees because of its white bark and tendency to grow along rivers and wetlands. They are always so striking from a distance, often standing out from the other trees with their distinctive white trunks curving into the blue sky. If I ever died and returned as a tree, this is the one I’d want to be.
Sycamore trees are widely spread in eastern United States, from Texas to Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin and into southern Canada. Where there is a good supply of water they can grow to be 100 feet or more with trunk diameters of more than 10 feet. Native Americans used the Sycamore for a variety of medicinal purposes including cough and cold remedies, gastrointestinal aids as well as dietary and dermatological aids.
What tree do you think most represents YOU?