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Is this a sycamore ?

fiona1957fiona1957 Posts: 12
in Problem solving
Help! Been pulling up lots of sycamores. But this has stumped me. Is it a type of sycamore? It looks like more ornamental. I looked it up online and think it might be a shrimp sycamore. Does anyone out there know what this plant is, and should I get rid of it? Will it self propagate? Is it a pest? I am a completely novice gardener, so forgive me if my questions sound a bit ignorant ☺️

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 26,573
    It doesn't look quite right to me. Are there any other trees nearby?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • fiona1957fiona1957 Posts: 12
    A sycamore. A maple at the front. An oak tree. A hawthorn. Lots of rose bushes and shrubs. 🙂
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,220
    Sycamore leaves often start ff purple and change to normal green as they mature.
  • fiona1957fiona1957 Posts: 12
    Thank you! Have cut the sapling down. Very helpful
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 9,649
    Probably best to dig out the root if you can. It'll probably sprout again if left.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • fiona1957fiona1957 Posts: 12
    The trouble is that we have so many tiny sprouting sycamores. Finding it hard to remove all the roots. Removed hundreds of seedlings and saplings over the past week. Any suggestions about how to kill them if cannot get to roots? Am on constant garden patrol to destroy these invaders!
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 9,649
    If you can't get at the roots (eg if they're growing in walls or paving) you could use a weedkiller. Gel or liquid painted onto the leaves is the most precise way to avoid accidentally getting it on something you want to keep. For lots of small seedlings I would fork over the whole area to loosen them before hand-pulling. I find that tree seedlings, even when tiny, tend to break off if you just pull the tops.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • fiona1957fiona1957 Posts: 12
    Thanks Jenny. Am going to fork and ordering weed killer 🙂
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 9,649
    Good luck!
    When was a youngster there was a sycamore in our garden and a huge ash in next door's. I earned lots of pocket money hoiking out seedlings :)
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • fiona1957fiona1957 Posts: 12
    Now that I have started gardening, I completely understand why you were given pocket money to remove the seedlings. Sycamores are a nightmare ... aarrgghh

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