Allen County, Indiana Wildlife

Trees - American Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis

The importance of preserving native plant habitat is demonstrated by century Old Trees, Trout Lily and Orchid colonies of plants research indicates that when growing undisturbed are often decades perhaps centuries even millennium old.

Eagle's nest on Lake Avenue

Sycamore tree with an Eagle's nest on Lake Avenue A bald eagle sits on a nest in Lake Avenue’s Catholic Cemetery on Monday Mike Durbin April 2, 2024 The Journal Gazette newspaper.

See Bald Eagles page.

December 26, 2015 post by Friends of the Limberlost on Facebook:

This is Gene Stratton-Porter's photograph of the Sycamore Tree that was made into a smoker by an early pioneer of Geneva. When the tree was dying, Gene moved the base of the tree to the south side of the cabin. Thus saving an early piece of Geneva history.

They Lived in Hollow Trees! (Appalachian Settlers and the American Sycamore) by American Mythology posted Jan 15, 2017 on YouTube.
Early Appalachian settlers sometimes lived in hollow sycamore trees. Do sycamores that size still exist today? The answer might surprise you.

We never tire of this century-old picture taken near Worthington, Indiana: Champion Platanus sycamore tree, circa 1915. Thumbs up for the big and the beautiful.

Posted by Indiana Forest Alliance on Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Wednesday, June 29, 2016 post by the Indiana Forest Alliance on Facebook:

We never tire of this century-old picture taken near Worthington, Indiana: Champion Platanus sycamore tree, circa 1915. Thumbs up for the big and the beautiful.

[ This photo is in the 1921 edtion of Charlie Deam's Trees of Indiana shown below ]

Several interesting comments to the original post:

  1. ...strange to think that this tree had passenger pigeons and Carolina parakeets perched on it not too long before this photo was taken 
  2. Branch from the big sycamore
    Is this tree still standing?- No it was blown over around 1925 by a storm. The western limb right above the fork was given to the worthington park and has been preserved. Photo above from the Largest Sycamore Tree at Visit Greene County, Indiana
  1. Sycamore Stump at City of Kokomo.
  2. World's Largest Sycamore Stump on RoadsideAmerica.com.

1924 - Sycamore Stump in Kokomo Park 57 Feet in Circumference

Article from Dec 28, 1924 The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, Indiana) 1924, Sycamore tree

1924 - Sycamore Stump in Kokomo Park 57 Feet in CircumferenceThe Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, Sunday, Decebmer 28, 1924, Page 11

1950 - 50 Feet Around - Sycamore Stump is Park Feature

Article from Oct 30, 1950 The Kokomo Tribune (Kokomo, Indiana) 1950, Sycamore tree
1950 - 50 Feet Around - Sycamore Stump is Park Feature The Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, Monday, October 30, 1950, Page 199

2002 - Massive sycamores caught attention of early settlers

Article from Nov 3, 2002 The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana) 2002, Sycamore tree
2002 - Massive sycamores caught attention of early settlers

Kokomo’s Highland Park offer the city an additional claim to fame and put a different spin on the word “landmark.”...

Posted by Only Indiana on Sunday, July 26, 2015

Sunday, July 26, 2015 post by Only Indiana on Facebook:

Kokomo’s Highland Park offer the city an additional claim to fame and put a different spin on the word “landmark.” Mention these at the next cocktail party or neighborhood barbecue, and we bet you’ll get asked for directions.

The first, on display in the park since 1916, is a sycamore tree stump of astonishing proportions. Local accounts claim the tree -- which originally stood in western Howard County -- was more than 800 years old and towered more than 100 feet high before a storm broke it into the huge hole stump.

At 57 feet around and 12 feet high, the enormous stump served for years as a local novelty and gathering place before city officials proposed moving it to Highland Park as an artifact of Kokomo’s pioneer days. Today, the giant stump occupies a glass-enclosed shelter in the park’s Visitors Center. It’s a quirky part of history that shows the power of Mother Nature in making and unmaking such a jaw-dropping tree -- and the power of community attachment to a place. Or in this case, a tree.

Sycamores are the largest deciduous tree in North America! When’s the last time you saw a tree this big? Conservation easements help to protect wild and wonderful places.

Posted by Save Maumee Grassroots Organization on Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Wednesday, July 7, 2021 post by Save Maumee Grassroots Organization on Facebook:

Sycamores are the largest deciduous tree in North America! When’s the last time you saw a tree this big? Conservation easements help to protect wild and wonderful places.

Sycamore in Wabash River bottoms.

A GIGANTIS of an American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) in central Ohio.... A BIG treat for Eli and Mackenzie on the...

Posted by Big Trees Ohio on Sunday, November 26, 2023

Sunday, November 26, 2023 post by Big Trees Ohio on Facebook:

A GIGANTIS of an American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) in central Ohio.... A BIG treat for Eli and Mackenzie on the way back to Mordor....

Estimated to be over 200 years old.

Measured up at 350" in circumference, over 120' tall, with a massive 130' average crown spread... Top 5 in Ohio indeed. Hope you two enjoyed it!! [ 350 inches is around 29 feet - compare to 57 feet Kokomo sycamore! ]

On this Ohio Memory Monday we’re thinking about trees. The sycamore tree is a common sight in Ohio—but have you ever...

Posted by Ohio History Connection on Monday, October 7, 2024

Monday, October 7, 2024 post by the Ohio History Connection on Facebook:

On this Ohio Memory Monday we’re thinking about trees. The sycamore tree is a common sight in Ohio—but have you ever seen one like this? [ Notice two men and a child in the tree! ]

This photo, taken circa 1885-1889, shows the Upper Sandusky Sycamore. The tree, located in Wyandot County, had a circumference of 41 feet and was once believed to be the largest tree east of the Rocky Mountains! Visit Ohio History Connection's free collaborative statewide digital image library at ohiomemory.org #OhioMemoryMonday #OhioMemory #BigTrees

Image: Upper Sandusky Sycamore photograph, ca. 1885-1889. Courtesy of Ohio History Connection

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