Ghost Trees at Cromwell Valley Park



Sycamores.  J. Schaeffer

 The forest canopy in winter at Cromwell Valley Park is a mixture of grays and browns, with a few evergreens in the mix.  But what stands out are the startling white branches of the American sycamores, which have earned them the nick-name "Ghosts of the Forest."  Those distinctive, white branches make for easy identification of sycamores and their stream-side habitat, even from a distance.

From a closer perspective, you can see that the bark on the newer branches peels, creating a mottled, camouflage look of white, gray, brown and greenish.   Why do sycamores have peely bark?  Some surmise that peeling bark allows the tree to shed pests.  It might also allow more oxygen absorption in a tree found close to water and whose roots may occasionally be flooded.  

Whatever the reason, this unusual, "sick" appearance helps us remember the name, sick-a-more.