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Sycamore - who has one more?

(7 Posts)
OldFrill Thu 23-Jul-26 21:41:59

Is having a sycamore in your garden a total nightmare? It's a solitary 50ft+ sycamore majestically growing over a lawn, there are others growing outside the garden too. I imagine spending my life clearing leaves, bark and pulling seedlings - am I overreacting. Thanks for sharing experiences (not interested in Google/AI responses).

OldFrill Thu 23-Jul-26 21:48:14

Who has more? No idea where that came from - it's who has one... Or more?

Litterpicker Thu 23-Jul-26 21:57:53

You have my sympathy *OldFrill.

The neighbours whose garden backs on to mine has a youngish one and I am trying to work myself up to going round to talk to them about chopping it down! I’m pretty sure it wasn’t deliberately planted. I am on constant watch for seedlings. They grow so fast and soon have roots so deep they are hard to remove.

eddiecat78 Thu 23-Jul-26 22:38:02

Sooty Bark Disease kills sycamores and is on the increase due to hot dry summers. It is a fungal disease which creates spores that are hazardous if breathed in.
We've just had to spends thousands having a group of dead sycamores felled.

OldFrill Thu 23-Jul-26 22:41:42

Thanks Litterpicker, l don't have the sycamore but have an interest in a house that has a large sycamore in the garden, and others nearby. All have TPOs. I don't think l could live with it, plus we go away for months at a time so I'd need a reliable gardener just to clear up after the behemoth, I'd resent the cost l think.

OldFrill Thu 23-Jul-26 22:46:26

Thank you Eddycat, l wasn't aware of Sooty Bark Disease, the potential for that may be the final deal breaker.

Georgesgran Thu 23-Jul-26 22:50:49

My neighbour behind me has a giant specimen - it’s a bloody nightmare. It casts a huge shadow over my garden, I get 80% of the leaf-fall to pick up and dozens of seedlings all over the garden to get out before the corkscrew roots get a hold. My Gardener says sycamores are just giant weeds. I hope this one dies before me!