Sycamore (Planatus sp.)

NPS Photo/Hallie Larsen

Sycamore (Planatus sp.) is an ancient tree that tends to grow in riparian areas. The pale bark peels and has an attractive brown, white, gray, and green puzzle pattern. The inconspicuous flowers (male and female separate on the same tree) mature to spiky balls of seeds. This particular tree was originally identified on the early schematics as P. racemosa, but more recently it has been identified only as the Planatus genus.