THIS IS A DRAFT
The species account below is an early version, drafted around 2003. It has been provided here to aid understanding, but please be aware it may not fully tally with the up-to-date map and statistics shown below.
Acer pseudoplatanus
Sycamore
Species Details
Sycamore is a newly established tree of woods scrub hedges and wasteland. It is also widely planted in woods parks and streets for ornament, and in upland areas for shelter particularly around habitations. It is very common throughout our area except for the high moors of the Dark Peak. It is an aggressive invader by seeds of woods and grassland in lowland areas. When growing in numbers, it can exclude many native species from such situations by its dense shade and leaf litter. It is thus actively removed from many conservation areas. However, it can provide food and shelter for some animals though these are not always ones, such as the Grey Squirrel, that conservationists would like to encourage (Charter 2002). When growing in isolation, as on top of Oker Hill near Matlock, it can form an important element in a landscape. This particular tree is associated with a local story of two brothers who each planted a tree on the hill when young. One tree flourished but the other did not, which reflected the brothers’ success in life (Mabey 1996). It is a native of the mountains of central Europe.