American Sycamore Germination

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

Anyone have any experience with successful germination of American Sycamore (platanus occidentalis) seeds? Been trying for around a month now with no luck and am curious if I'm missing some trick. First time with them. So far it's just been in soil, but I'm about to go back to my coffee filter method in a sealed glass dish. Seeds were source from New Orleans in the fall.

 

[so lucky]

We have a sycamore that my DH hates. But I don't believe I have ever seen sycamore sprouts around the tree. Just those seed balls that have about a million seeds.
I like the way sycamores look, but they are always dropping limbs, and in the late spring give off a cloud of pollen that is epic. And the limbs twist, so it's not good for timber.
In fact, @SprigOfTheLivingDead , are you sure you want to grow sycamores?

 

[flowerbug]

Anyone have any experience with successful germination of American Sycamore (platanus occidentalis) seeds? Been trying for around a month now with no luck and am curious if I'm missing some trick. First time with them. So far it's just been in soil, but I'm about to go back to my coffee filter method in a sealed glass dish. Seeds were source from New Orleans in the fall.

never done that but a search gave me answers

4-6wks says one source, 14 days says another.

only thing i notice different from plain soil is to mix in some coarse sand and vermiculite.

given that i do not have any experience this reply is worth about as much as you paid for it. good luck! keep trying!

ok, here is site i did read through:

How to Grow Sycamores From Seed

Sycamore trees belong to the genus Platanus, which includes several deciduous species...

homeguides.sfgate.com

 

[flowerbug]

We have a sycamore that my DH hates. But I don't believe I have ever seen sycamore sprouts around the tree. Just those seed balls that have about a million seeds.
I like the way sycamores look, but they are always dropping limbs, and in the late spring give off a cloud of pollen that is epic. And the limbs twist, so it's not good for timber.
In fact, @SprigOfTheLivingDead , are you sure you want to grow sycamores?

i love the way they look. not all trees need to be for timber.

i would not want them near a house or someplace where i always had to clean up after them, like a willow tree they may be nice off on the edge of the property someplace....

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

We have a sycamore that my DH hates. But I don't believe I have ever seen sycamore sprouts around the tree. Just those seed balls that have about a million seeds.
I like the way sycamores look, but they are always dropping limbs, and in the late spring give off a cloud of pollen that is epic. And the limbs twist, so it's not good for timber.
In fact, @SprigOfTheLivingDead , are you sure you want to grow sycamores?

I own a tree farm and American Sycamore is one of the varieties I carry. I've bought them as saplings before but was able to obtain some seed balls from a friend, so I am giving growing them from seed a shot

Catalpas (I also carry those) and them both aren't really good for timber

never done that but a search gave me answers

4-6wks says one source, 14 days says another.

only thing i notice different from plain soil is to mix in some coarse sand and vermiculite.

given that i do not have any experience this reply is worth about as much as you paid for it. good luck! keep trying!

ok, here is site i did read through:

How to Grow Sycamores From Seed

Sycamore trees belong to the genus Platanus, which includes several deciduous species...

homeguides.sfgate.com

Yeah I've read the month for germination thing. Figured I'd just ask in case others had a trick, like using a Dremel to cut through the seed coat of a Kentucky Coffee seed

 

[seedcorn]

On my back lot, I have Sycamore and Catalpas. They stink-literally. Why would anyone want Them? They will grow where most trees die due to wet roots. I don’t get it but I don’t have to. I like mulberries and most people consider them trash trees.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

On my back lot, I have Sycamore and Catalpas. They stink-literally. Why would anyone want Them? They will grow where most trees die due to wet roots. I don’t get it but I don’t have to. I like mulberries and most people consider them trash trees.

Ha! Love what you love Follow you arrow wherever it goes, right?

They help to create a good biodiversity in an area. I literally delivered 11 catalpas to an island planting site last September to replace a clear-cutting of buckthorn.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

I deliberately planted two Catalpas at my former place. They are just now starting to bud up when I visited this past week. I like them, they are hardy in my zone and will be great large foliage in bare acreage.

 

[baymule]

Do you get the Catalpa worms on your trees? My Daddy always planted a Catalpa tree for the catapillars that would show up and eat all the leaves off. He's pluck them off and freeze in a plastic container with cornmeal added, the cornmeal kept them from sticking together. Great fishing worms!!

I love sycamore trees, the bigger the better. The bark is beautiful, the leaves are huge and make good bedding for chickens and other animals.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

The weather here doesn't favor those fishing worms. Catalpas get huge with those long seed pods and as I've hiked around, have never seen the worms.