The Mexican Sycamore

I decided to profile the Mexican sycamore (Plantanus Mexicanus) after it came up on last weekend’s GardenLine radio program.

A caller asked about the silver leaf maple, probably one of the worst trees for the Gulf Coast. I suggested a Mexican sycamore instead, because the underside of its leaves are silvery, too.

Mexican sycamore

Then it hit me … I’m coming up on my 25th anniversary as the KTRH garden guy. That’s the silver anniversary when it comes to gifts, and since I’ll be giving the gifts during the upcoming celebration, some Mexican sycamores would be perfect.

Let me tell you about my first encounter with a Mexican sycamore and why it’s one of my top 10 recommendations when people ask about fast-growing trees that adapt well to widely varied Gulf Coast soils.

While writing my first book, The Golfer’s Guide to Gardening, I asked every tree expert I knew for the top five shade trees they would recommend for our unique conditions. I was surprised when many of them listed Mexican sycamore, a tree I knew little about.

I asked why someone like me, who wasn’t too fond of standard sycamores, would want a Mexican sycamore. All of them responded with a gush of positive attributes.

First, this tree can reach 80-100 feet at maturity - typically 10-12 years. Most other trees take 20-25 years to mature at only about 60 feet. The Mexican sycamore’s leaves also have a unique maroon-ish color early in spring. Then, in summer, it shows off leaves with silvery undersides - the look most people desire from a silver leaf maple, a tree I’d never recommend because it will most likely die in less than 12 years.

If a Mexican sycamore is properly cared for, it will last a lifetime and grow to nearly double the height of many other highly recommended trees. The American sycamore’s fast growth, for example, can lead to an early decline. Just not nearly as early as silver leaf maples. Or hybrid poplars or eucalyptus.

Still, the Mexican sycamore is a sycamore. As a deciduous tree, it has a big, messy leaf drop in the fall. But, if you’d like to try one out, Verdant Tree Farm and RCW Nurseries - two of our great advertising partners – regularly sell them.

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