Why plant Audubon® Native American Sycamore?
For birds, a grand old American Sycamore is the perfect place to perch and survey the world below. This regal tree grows quickly to become a dominant feature of the forest (or of your landscape) and is a true friend to wildlife. Cavity-nesting birds like owls, woodpeckers, and wood ducks often find a home in the hollows that form in old trees. And finches, chickadees, and juncos eat the seeds that hang in fluffy “buttonballs” from the branches in fall and winter. The Cerulean Warbler—possibly threatened—prefers to feed and nest at great heights and favors Sycamore Trees.
The mighty Sycamore Tree inhabits a large area of the eastern U.S., from Maine to Florida and west to southern Minnesota and Texas. Wherever it finds a sunny, moist site in which to germinate and grow, it has the potential to be the most massive and impressive tree in all the land. Few of the true giants remain, such as the incredible specimen George Washington reported seeing as he travelled down the Ohio River one day. On an island in the river, he found a Sycamore measuring nearly 13 feet in diameter. Other trees, larger still and hollow inside, have been used in the past to shelter livestock, or to even house a pioneer family until a log cabin could be built!
How to use Audubon® Native American Sycamore in the landscape?
Also known as the Buttonball Tree, the Sycamore Tree carries its seeds in fluffy balls that dangle from the branches. These seed balls may attract native birds to your yard, such as purple finches, goldfinches, chickadees, and juncos.
Audubon® Native Plants & Trees
Audubon is devoted to protecting birds and the places they need, while Bower & Branch is devoted to the growth of true native trees and plants–no cultivars or hybrids. Together, we strive to unite communities in conservation and inspire individuals to cultivate a better world for birds starting in their own backyards, balconies, or patios. By guiding and recommending trees and plants truly native and beneficial to your region, we can really start to make a difference.
What is the definition of Native?
“In the United States, a native plant is defined as one that was naturally found in a particular area before European colonization. Native plants are the foundation of a region’s biodiversity, providing essential food sources and shelter for birds, especially those threatened by the changing climate. Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they generally require less upkeep, therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water, and money.” – The National Audubon Society
Learn how you can help birds in your home and community through Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.
Audubon® is a licensed and registered trademark of the National Audubon Society. All rights reserved.
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 4-9
How To Plant Audubon® Native American Sycamore
The fast-growing Sycamore Tree is easy to grow in a sunny site in average to moist soil. Irrigate with the Bower & Branch Elements™ Watering System and feed your tree annually with Elements™ Fertilizer for best results. Give Sycamore plenty of elbow room. It can be used as a street tree, although the look-alike you often see on city streets is usually the London Plane Tree, a hybrid tree with Sycamore as a parent. One issue that may occur with Sycamore is a disease called anthracnose, which sounds worse than it is. It causes the new growth to die back as if hit by frost. The tree will simply resprout new leaves to replace the damaged ones. The disease is more likely to occur in particularly cool, wet springs.
How To Fertilize
Incorporate Elements Starter Plant food granular form into the soil when planting. If planting in spring or summer, start fertilizing late fall using Elements Starter Plant food granular form on an annual basis each late fall. Continue this for the first three years to get your plant well established.
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How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
Our Guarantees
3-YEAR-TREE GUARANTEE:
Bower & Branch offers a Three-Year Tree Guarantee on all of our trees, sizes X-Large and up. Only the finest and the most experienced growers are awarded the opportunity to grow for Bower & Branch, so we offer the best guarantee available.
If your tree(s) should fail for any reason during the three-year guarantee period, you will receive an online gift card in the amount that you originally spent on the tree.* You can then use this online gift card for any Bower & Branch Purchase.
* Bower & Branch provides online gift cards in the amount of the original purchase price of the tree(s). The amount does not include any additional costs such as delivery, planting, tax, or any other products or services. Online gift cards can be applied towards any Bower & Branch purchase on BowerandBranch.com and have no expiration dates. Bower & Branch does not guarantee tree replacement or availability of any desired product at any time. Cash refunds are not offered. Bower & Branch requires that all original tags and receipts are present when a guarantee request is initiated. The Bower & Branch Three-Year Guarantee only applies to plant material that has been planted in the ground. Container plantings are NOT covered.
At Bower & Branch, we do our best to honor all guarantee fulfillment requests to ensure customer satisfaction. However, we reserve the right to refuse the request if the required guarantee steps were not satisfied. Bower & Branch also reserves the right to deny any guarantee fulfillment request that is made as a result of animal damage, problems with plant hardiness and zone issues, or acts of nature (snow storms, hurricanes, and similar).
Reach out to a Plant Whisperer with any questions:
- Email: plantwhisperers@bowerandbranch.com
- Phone: 866-873-3888
- Or via Online Chat