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Sycamore: Platanus occidentalis, Platanaceae |
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Sycamore: Platanus occidentalis, Platanaceae |
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Sycamore (Platanus spp.), also known as buttonwood or plane, is composed of five to nine species which grow in Eurasia [2] and North America [8]. All species look alike microscopically. The common name “sycamore” is used in England to designate a species in the hard maple group (Acer pseudoplatanus), whereas plane or planetree is used to name the Platanus that grows there. The word platanus is the classical Latin and Greek name of Platanus orientalis L., oriental planetree, from the Greek word for broad, referring to the leaves.
Platanus occidentalis American plane, American planetree, American sycamore, Buttonball, buttonball-tree, buttonwood, California button, California sycamore, cotonier, lacewood, oriental planetree, oriental sycamore, plane, planetree, quartered sycamore, sycamore, water beech
Platanus racemosa California sycamore, planetree, sycamore, western sycamore
Platanus wrightii alamo, Arizona planetree, Arizona sycamore, sycamore
Distribution: The eastern United States, from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Atlantic coast west to the Great Plains.
The Tree: Sycamore trees reach heights of 120 ft (37 m), with a diameter of 3 ft (1 m).
General Wood Characteristics: The sapwood of sycamore is white to light yellow, while the heartwood is light to dark brown. The wood is classified as moderate in weight, hardness, stiffness, shock resistance, strength in bending, endwise compression and nail- holding ability. It has a close texture, glues well, and resists splitting due to interlocked grain. Sycamore is odorless, stain-free, and tasteless.
Weighta |
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Moisture content |
Specific gravity |
Weight |
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lb/ft3 |
kg/m3 |
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Green |
0.46 |
52 |
833 |
12% |
0.49 |
34 |
545 |
Ovendry |
0.54 |
NA |
NA |
aReferences: specific gravity, green and 12%, (98); specific gravity, ovendry, (59); weight, (59).
Mechanical propertiesa
Property |
Green |
Dry |
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MOE |
1.06 × 106 lbf/in2 |
7.308 GPa |
1.42 × 106 lbf/in2 |
9.791 GPa |
MOR |
6.50 × 103 lbf/in2 |
44.818 MPa |
10.0 × 103 lbf/in2 |
68.950 MPa |
C| | |
2.92 × 103 lbf/in2 |
20.133 MPa |
5.38 × 103 lbf/in2 |
37.095 MPa |
C ⊥ |
0.36 × 103 lbf/in2 |
2.482 MPa |
0.70 × 103 lbf/in2 |
4.827 MPa |
WML |
7.50 in-lbf/in3 |
51 .713 kJ/m3 |
8.50 in-lbf/in3 |
58.608 kJ/m3 |
Hardness |
610 lbf |
2713.28 N |
770 lbf |
3424.96 N |
Shear| | |
1.00 × 103 lbf/in2 |
6.895 MPa |
1.47 × 103 lbf/in2 |
10.135 MPa |
aReference (98). |
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Drying and shrinkagea
Percentage of shrinkage (green to final moisture content)
Type of shrinkage 0% MC 6% MC 20% MC
Tangential 8.4 6.1 2.5
Radial 5.0 4.1 1.7
Volumetric 14.1 11.4 4.7
aReferences: 0% MC, (98); 6% and 20% MC, (90).
Kiln drying schedulea
4/4, 5/4, 6/4 8/4 10/4 12/4 16/4
Condition stock stock stock stock stock
Standard T6-D2 T3-D1 T3-D1 T3-C1 T3-B1
aReferences (6, 86).
Working Properties: Sycamore has a close texture, glues well, and resists splitting because of its interlocked grain. It holds its shape well after steaming and machines well, but requires high speed cutter heads to prevent chipping.
Durability: Rated as nonresistant to heartwood decay. Preservation: No information available at this time.
Uses: Furniture (especially drawer sides), containers, millwork, flooring, veneer, pallets, boxes, plywood, pulp wood, paper, particleboard.
Toxicity: No information available at this time.
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