TreesWild and cultivated

Acer pseudoplatanus

Sycamore

Large hand-shaped leaves and paired spinning seeds occur in Irish streets, parks and hedges. This introduced tree is now widespread.

See all four seasons Explore fruits, seeds & edibility ↓ Where to look & how to find it ↓

Some plants are poisonous. Do not identify by a photograph alone, and never taste them.

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Start close to home

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: Leaves and flowers in spring; mature keys and leaf fall in autumn.
Where to start: Irish urban green spaces and rural boundaries. This is not the plane tree called sycamore in North America.
What to do when you arrive: From park paths, compare palmately lobed leaves, paired winged fruits and leaf arrangement. A maple-like leaf alone is not enough; this is not the North American tree also called sycamore.

Habitat and behaviour reference: Tree Council of Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

ONE PLANT · FOUR SEASONS

One plant. Four seasons.

Look beyond the flowers: fresh leaves, fruits, bare stems and dormancy.

Meteorological seasons: spring March–May, summer June–August, autumn September–November and winter December–February. Irish weather, cultivar, pruning and plant age affect timing and appearance.

Photos illustrate the relevant feature, not the same plant photographed through a year in Ireland. Features shared across seasons, such as evergreen leaves, may use the same reference. Missing reliable photos are marked; dormancy is not death.

Spring

Mar–May

Flowers

Palmately lobed leaves unfold beside hanging yellow-green flower clusters.

Summer

Jun–Aug

Foliage and growth

Large green leaves and paired young winged fruits fill a dense crown.

Autumn

Sep–Nov

Fruits

Paired keys ripen and spin down; foliage often turns yellow-brown rather than bright red.

Winter

Dec–Feb

Bare branches or dry stems

Leafless crowns reveal stout twigs and buds; older bark may flake in patches.

Seasonal references: Tree Council of Ireland ↗ · Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

FRUIT · SEED · FOOD SAFETY

Fruits, seeds & edibility

Know the structure, then the part. Recognising a plant does not make it food.

Fruit

Paired samaras join at their bases, separating and spinning down when ripe.

Food use of this part: Food safety not established by this guide

Seeds & dispersal units

Sycamore · Seeds germinating after treatment, unlike the appearance of intact samaras. — Seeds germinating after treatment, unlike the appearance of intact samaras.
Gmihail at Serbian Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 rs ↗ License terms

Each half contains one seed; the broad wing is part of the fruit wall.

Food use of this part: Food safety not established by this guide

Some seed references show intact one-seeded fruits or dispersal units, as identified in their captions. A whole-fruit photo is not a close-up of the enclosed seed. Cones and arils are not true fruits of flowering plants.

Sources & limitations

Tree Council of Ireland ↗ · Botanical description, not proof of food safety
NC State Extension · Plant Toolbox ↗

No field detoxification methods or safe doses are provided. Never taste a plant to identify it or eat treated or contaminated specimens. Seek professional help after suspected accidental ingestion. National Poisons Information Centre, Ireland ↗

Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

BOTANICAL NOTESPlant notes

How to identify it

Usually five-lobed toothed leaves in opposite pairs, hanging flower clusters and paired winged fruits like little propellers.

Where it grows

Parks, streets, woodland margins and hedges.

Growth and ecology

A deciduous, readily self-seeding tree with wind-borne fruits. Black leaf spots may be fungal, not a standard autumn colour.

Flowering and seasons

Leaves and flowers in spring; mature keys and leaf fall in autumn.

Where to look

Irish urban green spaces and rural boundaries. This is not the plane tree called sycamore in North America.

Seasons vary with weather and location. Suggested habitats are places to look, not guaranteed sightings. Photos show only some features; check leaves, flowers, fruits and specialist references together.

Further reading:Tree Council of Ireland ↗

Photo license: Willow · CC BY 2.5 ↗ · License terms ↗
Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

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