Maple and Sicamore, is there a difference?

Answer 1

Well done Rozzy! Sense at last.

The "Sycamore" - Acer pseudoplatanus is a Maple.
If you go to Mitchell's Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe you can confirm this.

"Acer" is the Latin term for a Maple and a "Sycamore" is "Acer" pseudoplatanus, ergo a Maple.

Pseudoplatanus literally means "false plane", because of the trees similarity to the Plane tree. Pseudo - false, platanus - plane.

Unfortunately many of our American cousins confuse the plane (platanus) and the maple (acer) species. It doesn't really matter, but it does cause problems if you're describing the tree without its Latin name. That's why we have the Latin names, to make sure we are all talking the same planty language, so to speak.

In short, there is no difference. A Sycamore is a member of the Acer (maple) family, so yes it is a maple.

Hope that clears up any confusion. Lovely trees whatever the name.

Answer 2

The Aceraceae is a large group of deciduous trees with winged seeds, containing many of the genus Acer (maple). Common ones include the field maple (Acer campestre). In the UK, many Japanese maples are grown for their beauty.

One type of maple is the sycamore (note spelling) which is Acer pseudoplatanus and is common in the UK.

This is not the same as the plane trees (Platanus sp) which have completely different seeds are a different family. These are common too e.g. in London (the London Plane, Platanus x hispanica); the smooth bark comes off in irregular patches.

Answer 3

First, the name is Sycamore, or sometimes called a "plane" tree. It has a scaley bark and each seed is enclosed in a furry outer ball. It does well in cities. You can't get syrup from it. Maple tree bark is altogether different and its seeds are "winged"

Answer 4

Maples are of the genus Acer (see http://www.maple-trees.com/) while Sycamores are of the genus Platanus (http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/sycamore/sycamore.html). They have many visable traits in common - in fact one maple tree (Acer pseudoplatanus - the Sycamore Maple [http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/a/acepse/acepse1.html]) clearly acknowledges that it is a maple that looks like a sycamore.

P.S. Although one answer indicated the Sycamore maple was called a 'sycamore' - it is NOT; it is a true maple. Its latin name [(Acer - family name of the true maples) + (pseudoplatanus - 'pseudo'=false, fraudulent, or pretending and platanus=sycamore genus)] means literally 'maple, false sycamore'

Answer 5

Sycamore syrup tastes vile.

Answer 6

They are of the same family and it is spelt Sycamore.

Answer 7

ive never had sicamore syrup.

Answer 8

different trees, they both have great flaming going on but totaly different.