Sycamore tree sheds bark throughout the year and it’s a natural process. Sycamore trees shed more bark in the hotter months of the summer. Older Sycamore trees shed more bark than the younger ones.
Sycamore trees are perfect for large landscapes. Sycamore trees provide shade over a large area and look wonderful.
It’s the patchy trunk of the tree that makes it look different and pretty. Grayish brown bark peels off in patches to show a cream-colored inner trunk.
Why do Sycamore trees shed a lot? When do Sycamore trees shed their bark? Does the bark shedding ever stop?
Is it normal for Sycamore trees to shed bark?
Yes, the shedding of bark by Sycamore trees is normal. This is just the process of aging in Sycamore trees and there’s no need for panic.
It is the reason why Sycamore looks so beautiful. The bark peels off in a pattern that makes the trunk look pretty.
The outer layer of Sycamore is lost and it is completely normal. Sycamore trees consistently shed their bark throughout the growing season.
The bark of the young trees is smooth and thin. The bark becomes thick and the tissue dies eventually.
The inner part of the tree, however, doesn’t stop growing. Thus, the bark is pushed outwards, eventually gets peeled off the tree.
The shedding creates a beautiful trunk as the outer bark is grayish-brown in color. The peeling off exposes the cream or whitish gray inner bark.
Do Sycamore trees lose their bark every year?
Yes, Sycamore trees lose their bark every year. Sycamore trees shed their bark throughout the year and it’s completely normal.
Although Sycamore trees lose the bark year-round, they lose most of the bark in the warmer months of the year.
Sycamore trees might shed their bark just after heavy rains. Sycamore trees also shed bark after a windstorm.
Sycamore trees shed more bark in the hotter months of the year. This is why you see more bark in the summer months than usual.
How often do Sycamore trees shed their bark?
Sycamore trees shed their bark for the most part of the year. Shedding might become intense based on the weather.
Sycamore sheds bark so much so that it becomes a problem for the person maintaining it. It’s just hard to clean off the pieces of bark.
Sycamore trees tend to shed a lot, especially at maturity. You’d probably despise the tree’s shedding habit if you crave an impeccable lawn.
The bark is not only shed from the trunk of the tree but also the branches. Branches that are larger than an inch/two in diameter shed bark too.
So, with bigger trees, the shedding of the bark increases exponentially.
Do younger Sycamore trees shed bark too?
Yes, younger Sycamore trees shed bark too, but it’s not that obvious. Younger trees shed much lesser than the older ones.
It is because the inner part of the tree is still not pushing the outer layer/bark. This is usually seen later in the tree’s life.
You need to remember that younger trees will soon turn into bark-shedding monster trees.
When do Sycamore trees stop shedding bark?
Sycamore trees stop shedding the bark after they reach a certain age. You might have already noticed that old Sycamores don’t shed bark.
Scaley bark covers older Sycamore trees and such trees don’t shed bark anymore. This scaley bark starts from the bottom and moves upwards.
Most Sycamore trees that I’ve seen have reached this stage in their lifetime. In human terms, we can say it gets wiser as it grows older.
Why do Sycamore trees shed their bark?
The outermost tissue of the Sycamore tree dies eventually as the tree grows. The inner tissue pushes this outer tissue outward. Such movement creates cracks in the bark. These cracks cause the bark to peel off gradually.
As you can probably tell by now, this is a natural process and doesn’t harm the tree at all.
The bark peels off in patches which creates a beautiful pattern on the trunk of the Sycamore tree, which is the main reason why these trees are grown.
I say let it shed as much bark as it can. There are several ways to put this shed bark into good use. Let’s see what they are.
Sycamore tree bark uses
Sycamore bark can be used as mulch in flowerbeds. The inner bark of Sycamore trees can also be used to make herbal tea.
Sycamore tree bark as mulch
Yes, Sycamore tree bark and leaves can be used as mulch. Break the barks pieces further and you can definitely use it as mulch.
One can also use Sycamore leaves as mulch. Break the leaves into tiny pieces using a lawnmower and use them as mulch.
Lay a 2-4 inch mulch layer using the broken pieces of Sycamore bark for the best results.
Use Sycamore bark for campfires
The shed Sycamore bark can be used to start campfires. Sycamore bark pieces can be used to kindle campfires in the backyard.
Finally, you need to know that the tree looks amazing only because of its bark shedding. So, keep it in mind and let the tree grow.
Happy Growing 🙂