Seen Any Sycamores?

One of my favorite tree species is American Sycamore. Vermont is at the northern edge of the species range, where it is found on floodplains along rivers and streams. We've done a nice job so far of mapping them out on iNaturalist Vermont, and we've even extended their known range up several tributaries. Now is a great time to discover these trees. An American sycamore tree can often be easily distinguished from other trees by its mottled exfoliating bark, which flakes off, leaving mottled surface of greens, whites, grays and browns. The bark of all trees has to yield to a growing trunk by stretching, splitting. Sycamores have bark tissue that lacks the elasticity of some other trees, so it doesn't stretch as much to accommodate the growth of the wood underneath. It simply splits and falls off.

Keep your eyes open for these beautiful trees and help fill in the map of their range in Vermont.

Map of American Sycamore on iNaturalist Vermont: http://tinyurl.com/kryvze7

Publicado el viernes, 20 de marzo de 2015 a las 05:22 PM por kpmcfarland kpmcfarland

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These trees are also food plant for the appropriately named Sycamore Tussock Moth caterpillars. The adults look identical to Banded Tussock Moth, but the caterpillars are distinctive. http://bugguide.net/node/view/423
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/382563

Anotado por kylejones hace cerca de 9 años

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