Platanus occidentalis
Family: Platanaceae
Sycamore

Platanus occidentalis Platanaceae

Sycamore

Sycamore (Platanus sp.) also known as Buttonwood or Plane is composed of 5 to 9 species which grow in Eurasia [2] and North America [8]. All species look alike microscopically. The common name “Sycamore” is used in England to designate a species in the Hard Maple Group (Acer pseudoplatanus), whereas Plane or Planetree is used to name the Platanus which grows there.

Platanus occidentalis American Plane, American Sycamore, Buttonball, Buttonball-tree, Buttonwood, California Button, California Sycamore, Cotonier, Lacewood, Oriental Planetree, Oriental Sycamore, Plane, Planetree, Quartered Sycamore, Sycamore, Water Beech
Platanus racemosa Aliso, Buttonball, Buttonball-tree, Buttonwood, California Planetree, California Sycamore, Planetree, Sycamore, Western Sycamore
Platanus wrightii Alamo, Arizona Planetree, Arizona Sycamore, Sycamore

Distribution: The eastern US, from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Atlantic coast west to the Great Plains.

The Tree: Sycamore trees reach heights of 120 feet, with a diameter of 3 feet.

The Wood
General: The sapwood of Sycamore is white to light yellow, while the heartwood is light to dark brown. It is classified as moderate in weight, hardness, stiffness, shock resistance, strength in bending, endwise compression and nail holding ability. It has a close texture, glues well and resists splitting due to interlocked grain. It holds its shape well after steaming and machines well, but requires high speed cutter heads to prevent chipping. It shrinks moderately in drying and is inclined to warp when flat sawn. It is odorless, stain free and tasteless.


Weight: (5)

MC SpGr Weight (lb/ft3) Weight (kg/m3)
Green 0.46 52 833
12 % 0.49 34 545
Oven Dry 0.54 NA NA


Mechanical Properties: (12) (2-inch standard)

Property MC English Units Metric/SI Units
MOE green 1.06 106 lb/in2 0.074 106 kg/cm2
dry 1.42 106 lb/in2 0.099 106 kg/cm2
MOR green 6.50 103 lb/in2 0.455 103 kg/cm2
dry 10.0 103 lb/in2 0.700 103 kg/cm2
C|| green 2.92 103 lb/in2 0.204 103 kg/cm2
dry 5.38 103 lb/in2 0.377 103 kg/cm2
C+ green 0.36 103 lb/in2 0.025 103 kg/cm2
dry 0.70 103 lb/in2 0.049 103 kg/cm2
Work green 7.50 in-lb/in3 0.005 kg-m/cm3
dry 8.50 in-lb/in3 0.006 kg-m/cm3
Side Hard green 610 lb 276 kg
dry 770 lb 349 kg
Shear|| green 1.00 103 lb/in2 0.070 103 kg/cm2
dry 1.47 103 lb/in2 0.103 103 kg/cm2

green = green moisture content
dry = 12% moisture content
MOE = Modulus of elasticity.
MOR = Modulus of rupture.
C|| = Compression parallel to grain, maximum crushing strength.
C+ = Compression perpendicular to grain, stress at proportional limit.
Work = Work to Max Load
Side Hard = Side Hardness
Shear|| = Shear parallel to grain, maximum shearing strength.

Drying & Shrinkage:

Shrinkage (% of green) Green_0%MC Green_6%MC Green_20%MC
Tangential 8.4(12) 6.1(11) 2.5(11)
Radial 5.0(12) 4.1(11) 1.7(11)
Volumetric 14.1(12) 11.4(11) 4.7(11)

Kiln Drying Schedule (1 & 11)

Condition 4/4, 5/4, 6/4
stock 8/4
stock 10/4
stock 12/4
stock 16/4
stock 16/4
standard T6-D2 T3-D1 T3-D1 T3-C1 T3-B1

Working Properties: It has a close texture, glues well and resists splitting due to interlocked grain. It holds its shape well after steaming and machines well, but requires high speed cutter heads to prevent chipping.

Durability: Classed as nondurable.

Preservation: No information available at this time.

Uses: Furniture (esp. drawer sides), containers, millwork, flooring, veneer, pallets, boxes, plywood, pulp wood, paper, particle board.

Toxicity: No information available at this time.

Additional Reading & References Cited (in parentheses):

1. Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois & E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods - temperate and tropical. USDA Forest Service, FPL General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57.
2. Elias, T.S. 1980. The complete trees of North America, field guide and natural history. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 948 pp.
3. Hausen, B. M. 1981. Wood Injurious to Human Health: A Manual. Walter deGruyter & Co., Berlin, Germany; New York, NY.
4. Little, Jr., E.L. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). USDA Forest Service, Ag. Handbook No. 541, USGPO, Washington, DC.
5. Markwardt, L.J. and T.R.C. Wilson. 1935. Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States. USDA Forest Service, Tech. Bull. No. 479. USGPO, Washington, DC.
6. McAlpine, R.G. and M. Applefield. 1973. American sycamore, an American wood. USDA Forest Service, FS-267.
7. Mitchell, J.; Rook, A. 1979. Botanical Dermatology: Plants and Plant Products Injurious to the Skin. Greenglass Ltd., 691 W. 28th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5H 2H4.
8. Panshin, A.J. and C. de Zeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Ed., McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 722 pp.
9. Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the new world. Yale University Press, New Haven, 640 pp.
10. Simpson, W.T. 1991. Dry kiln operator's manual. USDA Forest Service, FPL Ag. Handbook 188.
11. Summitt, R. and A. Sliker. 1980. CRC handbook of materials science. Volume 4, wood. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL. 459 pp.
12. USDA Forest Service, FPL. 1974. Wood handbook: wood as an engineering material. Ag. Handbook 72.
13. Woods, B.; Calnan, C. D. 1976. Toxic Woods. British Journal of Dermatology; 95(13):1-97 Published by Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, England OX2 OEL.

Harry A. Alden, 1994