Platanus wrightii aka Arizona Sycamore

Platanus wrightii, the Arizona sycamore, belongs to the plane family, Platanaceae. Its native range reaches from Arizona into southwestern New Mexico. In Mexico, it grows in Sonora, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua. Kew places it in the temperate climate zone. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. This deciduous tree sheds its leaves for part of the year.

Trees reach 60–80 feet [18–24 metres] tall. The crown has an open shape, with branches spreading outward. The trunk often divides into large limbs near the ground. One large limb may reach out over the water. This low branching helps define the tree's broad, spreading form. The supplied account gives no measured width for its crown.

Bark changes in both colour and texture with age. Young bark is smooth and has a grey-green colour. It soon peels away in large patches with irregular edges. These patches expose an almost white layer beneath the surface. The contrast gives the trunk a bold, patchwork look. On larger trees, bark grows thicker and turns grey-brown. It also becomes scaly, with shallow furrows in its surface.

The simple leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the twigs. Each leaf measures six to nine inches in length. Three to five pointed lobes give it a star-like shape. The upper face is green; the underside is paler and fuzzy. Each leaf stalk has a swollen base. Young twigs are fuzzy, with orange-brown and green colouring. They are fairly stout and follow a zigzag course. A round leaf scar surrounds each reddish, cone-shaped bud. One cap-like scale covers the bud.

Male and female flowers grow separately on the same tree. Both are tiny and form dense, round clusters. Two to five clusters hang along a stalk as leaves emerge. The tan fruit balls have a slightly fuzzy surface. Each measures one to one-and-a-half inches across. Two to four balls hang from a thin stalk. Each ball holds many small, tufted achenes. The balls break apart over winter, and wind carries the seeds away. These hanging fruits add another clear feature for identifying the tree. The supplied sources give no species-level guidance on garden care, pests, edibility, or toxicity.