Arizona Sycamore
Platanus wrightii
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Platanaceae
- Genus:
- Platanus
- Species:
- Platanus wrightii
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- More than 40 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar, apr
- Bloom Colors:
- Yellow
Native Range
United States: Arizona, New Mexico
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to riparian areas, tolerates periodic flooding
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Mounding method: Harvest stems layered during the previous year just above the soil surface while dormant in early spring. Remove any residual media from the previous year's mound to allow new stems to emerge from the crown of stock plants. By late May, new stems are 0.5 m high and the mounding process is initiated using soilless media composed of pumice, peat and bark mix, commercial peat and perlite mix, and pumice alone. Use inverted bottomless containers to contain the mound.
Establishment: P. wrightii is found along streams from 600 to 2000m in elevation, from northern Mexico to southern New Mexico and Arizona. The propagation method is mound layering of stock plants established in field nursery. Stock plants are seedlings in 1 gallon pots planted into sandy loam soil and heavily fertilized in May. Surface soil is amended with sulfur to prevent chlorosis; alkalinity of irrigation water is 150mg/L as CaC03 with a ph of 8.0. During establishment, stock plants are flood irrigated on a weekly basis during the growing season.
Source: npn.rngr.net