Latin Name - Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Atropurpureum’
Height - 60-70 feet
Spread - 40-60 feet
Growth Rate - Moderate
USDA Zone - 5 to 7
Drought Tolerance - Moderate
(This tree has been removed due to construction.) The undiscovered sycamore maple is an interesting choice for urban or rural landscapes. It has a moderate growth rate and is adaptable to many soil types, including considerable salt tolerance. The cultivar ‘Atropurpureum’ (‘Spaethii’) which you see here is a common selection in the nursery trade and is characterized by leaves that are green on top, purplish underneath. Unlike many maples, sycamore maple has little or no fall color. The fruits (samaras, the helicopter seeds) of this species hang down in distinctive, short chains. Mature bark is an interesting patchwork of small flakes similar to that of a sycamore tree. The overall impression of the tree is one of strength and permanence.