How-to Guide
How to Grow Sycamore and London Planetree
The short answer
Sycamore and its hybrid, London planetree (Platanus), are very large, fast, durable trees valued for striking exfoliating bark. They are park- and boulevard-scale trees; plan for size and litter before planting one in a small yard.
Expect anthracnose. In cool, wet springs the fungus blights new leaves and shoot tips and can largely defoliate the tree in spring, but this is primarily an aesthetic concern that rarely kills established trees; the canopy regrows as the second flush of leaves matures.
If you are choosing between them, London planetree is more resistant to anthracnose than American sycamore, thanks to its Platanus orientalis parentage. And the mottled bark that peels off in patches is normal and healthy, not a disease.
Anthracnose: dramatic in spring, then it recovers
The behavior that alarms owners most is spring leaf blight from sycamore anthracnose. Ohio State University's BYGL notes bad anthracnose years are driven by cool, wet weather during leaf emergence, which gives the fungus overwintering on the twigs ideal conditions; infection causes defoliation and then shoot-tip dieback. A tree can look scorched and half-bare in May.
The reassurance is that the tree bounces back. University of California IPM specialists state that most sycamore trees will fully recover from defoliation caused by anthracnose: while the first flush of leaves may be lost, the canopy regrows as the second flush of growth matures. BYGL adds the good news that the disease rarely kills trees even though it looks fatal early in the season. Treat anthracnose as a recurring aesthetic event tied to spring weather, not an emergency; raking and removing fallen infected leaves and twigs reduces the fungus carried into next spring.
Sycamore vs. London planetree
If disease is your main worry, the species choice matters. BYGL notes that anthracnose is less prevalent on London planetree street trees than on sycamore, thanks to the Platanus orientalis parent in the hybrid's ancestry. That is a large part of why London planetree, not native American sycamore, is the one so widely planted along city streets.
The two also look slightly different. BYGL describes the exfoliating bark of planetrees as tending toward whiter tones, while sycamore bark carries more khaki tans and greens. For a homeowner, the practical version is simple: for a tougher street or lawn tree with less spring blight, lean toward a London planetree cultivar.
Size and litter: plan for a big, messy tree
These are not tidy trees, and that is worth accepting up front. BYGL groups the normal shedding of bark and periodic branch drop, alongside anthracnose and powdery mildew, into an overall sense of Platanus as a 'dirty tree,' especially the sycamore. Over a season a mature tree drops bark plates, large leaves, twigs, and spiky seed balls.
None of that is a defect; it is how the tree lives. The exfoliating bark that flakes off to reveal creamy patches beneath is a healthy, ornamental feature, not a problem to fix. Plant a sycamore or planetree where its eventual size and steady litter are welcome, such as a park, a large lawn, or a boulevard, rather than over a pool or patio.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- Ohio State University BYGL - Ten Questions About Planetrees — Bad sycamore anthracnose years are driven by cool, wet weather during leaf emergence; it rarely kills trees though it looks fatal early in the season; anthracnose is less prevalent on London planetree street trees than on sycamore thanks to the Platanus orientalis parent; normal shedding of bark and branch drop contribute to a sense of Platanus as a 'dirty tree', especially sycamore, whose bark has more khaki tans and greens than the whiter planetree bark.
- University of California IPM - Defoliated Sycamore Trees? — Most sycamore trees will fully recover from defoliation caused by anthracnose; while the first flush of leaves might be lost, the canopy will regrow as the second flush of growth matures; sycamore anthracnose is primarily an aesthetic concern since it usually doesn't kill established trees.