How to Stop a Sycamore Tree From Producing the Fruit Balls

Sycamore trees are a common sight in both natural forests and residential landscaping in the United States. These towering trees have a bright green foliage contrasted by bark that runs from marbled brown and green to bright white. Sycamore trees produce their seeds in spiny fruit balls that open to spread hundreds of seeds. The resulting mess is something that many homeowners would like to avoid.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Prune sycamore trees in the summer. The flowers on the tree, if fertilized, will become fruit balls with sycamore seeds inside. Pruning these flowers in the summer will keep fruit balls from forming in the first place.

2. Prune sycamore trees in the winter. After the flowers are fertilized, the fruit balls develop in the fall and hang on the tree over the winter. Cut them off at this time to prevent the messy phase where they break apart and spread sycamore seeds across your lawn.

3. Maintain your sycamore trees throughout the year with consistent watering, rich soil, good exposure to light and fertilizers that cater to wood growth. Healthy trees are more likely to come through pruning with success.

Tips & Warnings

• If fruit balls are left on sycamores, they open and fall apart in spring to expose seeds with natural parachutes. When they're caught by the wind, the seeds can fly for long distances.

• Sycamore trees are susceptible to leaf blight.

References

• East Tennessee State University Arboretum: Sycamore Overview
• Great Plains Nature Center: Sycamore Facts
• TreeHelp.com: Sycamore Info