How to Fully Prune a Sycamore

Prune sycamore trees to a central leader.

Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a fast-growing, long-lived, deciduous tree commonly called American planetree, buttonball, buttonwood and American sycamore. Sycamore is one of the biggest trees in the United States' eastern forests. This enormous tree can reach 75 to 100 feet in heights with a comparable canopy. Young sycamore trees are pyramidal but the crown expands to an uneven or spreading rounded form as it matures. Pruning young sycamores with a central leader creates a strong framework.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears
• Lopping shears
• Hand saw

Instructions

1. Remove all frail, dead and diseased branches on the sycamore. Make your cuts at an angle and back into a healthy part of the branch. Trim off any branches on the tree that cross through the center.

2. Choose several branches spaced 2 to 4 feet apart that are evenly located along the length of the sycamore’s trunk. Don’t cut the top of the central leader on the tree, which is the main, center branch that extends up from the trunk of the sycamore.

3. Prune off branches with narrow crotches that will likely break as the tree ages. Cut back branches growing upright as well as any water sprouts and suckers emerging on the sycamore’s branches or trunk. These appear as thin branches, but they take nutrients away from the tree and should be removed as soon as they are noticed.

4. Thin the sycamore by removing branches back to the point they meet the trunk or other branches. Leave the branch collar when removing branches more than 1 1/2 inches in diameter using three or four cuts. Make the first partial undercut 1 foot or more from the trunk, the second top cut 1 to 3 inches beyond the first cut until the branch falls and the third cut just beyond the branch collar. The branch collar is the swollen or bulging area located at the base of the branch, where the branch meets the trunk.

5. Encourage growth on sycamore branches by cutting them 1/4 inch above a bud facing outward. This encourages new branch growth in the direction the bud is facing.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan your annual pruning at the end of winter while the sycamore is still dormant. Always prune as little as possible to allow the sycamore tree to grow naturally. Stand back from the tree before you start in order to plan your cuts and repeat this throughout the pruning process to evaluate your progress.

• Use sharp sterile tools and the correct tool for each cut depending on the diameter of the sycamore’s branch. Use pruning shears to cut branches up to 3/4 inches, lopping shears for 1 1/2 inch branches and hand saws for larger branches.

• Pruning to remove damaged or diseased branches on the sycamore tree can be done at any time of the year. Sterilize your tools with rubbing alcohol before using them again when pruning diseased sections.

• Don’t prune your sycamore tree if it is near any type of power lines or the branches are too tall to reach. These types of pruning jobs are best completed by a professional.

References

• USDA Northeastern Area Forest Service; Platanus Occidentalis; O.O. Wells and R.C. Schmidtling
• Clemson University Cooperative Extension; Sycamore; Debbie Shaughnessy and Bob Polomski; June 1999
• University of Florida; Platanus Occidentalis; Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson; October 1994
• University of Minnesota Extension; Pruning Trees and Shrubs; Mike Zins and Deborah Brown; 2009

Resources

• USDA Northeastern Area Forest Service; How to Prune Trees; Peter J. Bedker, et al.; January 1995