American Sycamore

Measured the American Sycamore tree in the middle of the photo.
Height                  80'
Circumference     154"
Canopy Spread   111'  107'
Total Points           261

A majestic tree, especially when you look up.

Are we looking up? Are we looking up to Jesus?

Hebrews 12:2 "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Father, I look to You and hope in your grace to guide me and help me today.

Sycamore Bud and Seed pod

Here is another Sycamore bud that is completely enclosed by the leaf during the summer. The seed pod is left on the twig in the middle of winter.



 Below is a summer photo of a Sycamore fruit pod.
    

Sycamore trees have many of these pods, and a few of them remain on the tree during the winter. This tree makes a good den tree for the center of the tree wood rots and leaves a cavity that wildlife makes use of for their dens. The wood that survives is hard and the grain is swirled. This makes the tree hard to split for firewood. I know because I got some of this wood from a neighbor and worked hard to split it.

The tree grows taller than other hardwoods in the area making it a dominate tree where it is found. It does best in lowland areas, but will also grow on hillsides.

When I think of this tree I think of the rot the tree is experiencing within the bole of the tree. Yet it grows tall and the bark makes the tree to stand out against the other trees in a hardwood forest.



Christians can thrive even though they have problems in their life. It is not our ability but our availability that God is looking for. He will take our wounds and weaknesses and turn them for His glory.

Hebrews 11:32-34 "And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight."

American Sycamore Bud

During the growing season the bud is fully encased by the leaf stem.

The circles where the leaf scar is, are bundle scars where  the vein from the leaf attaches to the twig. Young tress and branches have thin bark that peals off with white bark underneath. The bud and the bark make this tree easy to identify in the winter.

The way this tree is made reminds me of a life principle of growth. When we grow we are protecting the future. The bud inside the leaf stalk was being protected. When we grow in spiritual things we are setting the stage for the future.

Let us not neglect our future as we are living in the present. Instead, know that each thing we do is not only useful now but can be a building block for things later in life.

Matthew 2521 "His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master."

Father, I believe You and what You have said in Your word. I live in expectation of Your blessing to enable me to help others better. In Jesus name it will happen.

American Sycamore Winter\Summer

This winter photo is in November 2014 and the one below is in July 2016. They are both looking northerly but not at the exact same spot. Probably within 50 feet of each other.

The blue sky accents the white bark in the winter scene. Yesterday it was a little hazy which I was thankful for. This kept the heat off us to an extent. Trees and brush leafed out causes a more busy look in the woods, blocking the sight distance.

It is easy to criticize others that are working for the Lord by those who are not doing anything. Putting forth effort, causes you to become aware of many obstacles that need to be dealt with. Be assured the work you are doing will be rewarded.

1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."

Father, thank you for the grace you give us as we work for you.

American Sycamore Seed Ball

Here is a close up of an American Sycamore seed ball.

Genesis 1:11 "Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so."

American Sycamore Root Foot print

Notice the large base the roots are making.

The circumference on this tree is 167 3/4" which is 53 in diameter.

Jeremiah 17:8

"For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit."

Sycamore Bark

We passed by a patch of ground that had much American

Sycamore bark on the ground. This bark flakes off

during the year. This was an excessive amount of

bark. I had not seen this before.

What lessons can we learn from this in the

Spirit?

Shedding of bark is like shedding our protection. Our

protection in God is our faith. Satan can't get at

us as we are hid in Christ.

Ps 91, Eph 1, Eph 6, John1

Light overcomes darkness. Let us not shed our

protection of faith and confidence.

"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." Hebrews 13:36

Gal 6:9 "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for

in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."

Keep at the work of God, looking to Him to fulfill

what He has called you to do.

The purpose of bark is to protect the cambium. Life

of trees flows from the cambium area. Sap is moved in

the cambium. Water is moved from the roots up to

the leaves.

The shedding of bark also could mean that the

former purpose of faith has shifted. Some things

of faith in Christ never change, like salvation. We

are saved by grace through faith. That doesn't

change. Other things, such as a calling to do a work

for Christ, may remain for a season then change to

something else. So the flaking bark shows the tree

is putting on new bark and the old bark if

outgrown.

We outgrow or are promoted to a new work at the

direction of the Holy Spirit.

The Sycamore tree grows in girth and sheds its bark

as it grows. Many other trees' bark will expand and

the fissures of the bark widen as it grows in

girth. Sycamore can't expand its bark because the bark is brittle, so it sheds

bark as it grows.

Shedding of bark may indicate  fast growth of the

tree as the tree stem expands bark is shed so new

bark grows in its place.

Let us always be ready to grow in Christ and not

resist change.  

Lightening Strike

Here is an American Sycamore that has been struck by lightening.

White American Sycamore Branches

White American Sycamore Branches show through the tangle of winter.

Warm Sunday Hike

I was planning to go on a woods hike and my daughter asked if she could go with me. I immediately said yes and changed my hike to a more civilized place.


In the center of this photo, trees are leaning toward it from both right and left, I measured a Black locust. I had not measured this species before. I also wanted to show my daughter how its done.
Circumference 4' 8"
Height 82'
Canopy 38' & 27'
Total Points 146

A lot of the Black locusts I have run across lately have the narrow crown and a bowl about the same as the one pictured here.




Later we came to this Bur oak, (the larger tree on the right side of the woods). Its circumference was 111" I made note of this and would come back to measure if it was a tree that would be bigger than what I had done before or the biggest in this park. It wasn't, when I got home there was only one Bur oak in my measurement records, that had a smaller diameter.


Here was a nice American Sycamore. The circumference was 143" Not big for this type of tree. I've got another tree that I may go to that has a rough measure of circumference of 179". Now if that tree is tall it may be the largest Sycamore I have measured.


Here is the trail we walked on. The weather was nice above freezing. But because of that we slipped on mud often.


Getting close to the car there was a branch across the trail that I set the camera on to get a self portrait of us. My dog thought we were in a race as I ran for the pose. She ran on by and you see a little of her as she came back as the camera took a photo.

I had kept my eye out for Shagbark hickory but I didn't see any.

Two Sycamore trees with heart rot which is common with this species.

Sycamore Vine Tree

Sycamore vine tree. That is what I call this tree I found on a recent hike in a bottom land area. The tenacity of this tree to continue to search for light is amazing.

Jesus is a light of revelation to the gentiles. Luke 2:32 For this reason I want to go to any lengths to find the leading of the Lord in my life. The revelation from Jesus will enable us to understand life and help others. It is not that I would be a know it all. But as Jesus has helped me, I am able to help others.

Fallen Am. Sycamore Bark

Hiking along the above trail back where I came I noticed this American sycamore bark. As I turned around sure enough there was a tree that it fell from. The bark flakes off easily.

American sycamore obviously does not have bark that will protect it from fire. These trees will die quickly in a fire the bark is thin and does not provide any resistance to fire.

Fast growth without fire protection. But if there was a fire the tree would establish itself again quickly in the area.

God is a consuming fire to those who have not prepared themselves for His coming. And he refines us as gold and silver are refined in the furnace of affliction.

Let us not be like a tree whose bark falls of quickly but one that is able to endure the fire of trouble and comes out shinning with the glory of God.

Eaten American Scycamore Leaf

.
Interesting bug pattern.

Psalm 119:18
"Open my eyes,
that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law."

American Sycamore

I twisted the camera to get this picture of this twisted sycamore. An unusual tree looking for light.

Revisiting a Tree

Here is a picture of a tree with 5 vines climbing up it and there is a lot of other vines growing up the tree that have jumped across from some brush . I want to find this tree again in the spring or summer. So I am taking some readings from my compass of other trees that will point to this tree.


This is the tree in the center of the photo. To the left of the stem you can make out the vines grabbing the branch of the tree up in the air.

To locate this tree again I am making notes in my journal of how I got here. The more complete notes I can make, the better chance I have of finding the tree again.

There is an Am. sycamore to the east at a azimuth of 92 degrees. It is interesting, there is a Shingle oak on this 92 degree line. So if I line up those 2 trees, they will point the way to the tree with the vines.










There is another sycamore tree at a 52 degree azimuth that has a good den hole for wildlife that I took a picture of.


I enjoy planning to retrace my steps to find these trees again.

I have learned the hard way, that complete notes is not an option. Looking at notes in years past I could not make heads or tails out of what I wrote.

A lot of the problem is I don't have the patience or time to sit down and write the notes in the field. Now I am taking a recorder and making notes as I walk.

A further post on these trees is forthcoming.

It is the same with my walk with the Lord. I sometimes take notes during my devotions to remind myself of important things I have learned.

American Sycamore

I was hiking along a Missouri river bluff and came across this American Sycamore. The white upper branches caught my eye.



When I came closer I took a photo of the heart rot that many trees of this species have.




On the back of the tree there was a knot. This knot may have been formed by the tree to cover a wound. Or more likely it is from a disease. Seeing how the bowl of the tree seems to jog at this point the knot may be caused by a branch breaking off.

American Sycamore

Here is a photo showing how the fruit balls stay on in the winter. Click on the photo for a larger view.



Here is a close up of the Am. Sycamore tree bark.



These trees rot fast after a branch dies. Notice the center of this tree has a cavity where a branch had died. So these trees provide good habitat for wildlife.

American Sycamore Platanus occidentalis, Linn.

Measurement of the above Sycamore.
Circumference was 158”
Crown was 89'
Height 121'
Giving it a point total of 301

ID link

Thumbnail of ID photos

Photo of big tree trunk


Bottomland tree with white thin flaking bark. Leaves large palmately lobed. One thing I remember about this tree is you don't want to split it for firewood. It grows swirled. When you put a splitting wedge in, you will be hitting your wedge many times before it splits. Another thing I remember about these trees is the heart wood rots away easily.

The white bark really stands out in the winter. The tree is fast growing and is bigger than most other trees.

The wood is not strong, durning storms branches will break off.

It has susceptible to wind shake which is the internal splitting of wood.
I also notice a lot of heart rot. This removes the tree value for lumber but it is valuable for wildlife habitat. It is grown for biomass production.

It is a large fast growing tree. Easily identified by its white pealing bark. Grows best in bottom land areas of alluvial (flood plain) soils are best growth.

The tree is moderately intolerant. Meaning it needs direct sunlight.

Sycamore grows fast throughout its life.
Within its range, only cottonwood and, under some conditions, a
few of the pines, soft maples, and black willow grow faster.

It grows to the widest diameter than other North American hardwoods.