Cara Rose
Contributing Writer
Autumn is without a doubt the most colorful season. Mother Nature never disappoints, showing off her glorious shades of reds, oranges, golden yellow and even pinks, rust and maroon. There is nothing like a sunny drive along one of Pocahontas County’s scenic roadways.
My usual drive between Minnehaha and Marlinton takes us along Knapps Creek where my father rarely fails to point out the unassuming sycamore tree. He informs me that they mostly grow in moderate elevations, along streams. And the more I pay attention, the more I become a big fan of this tree.
Technically speaking, the American Sycamore tree grows in our region, and the eastern United States. It is a hardwood tree that bears a “fruit,” although not edible, and the Sycamore can live for hundreds of years. The tree symbolizes strength, protection and longevity and has spiritual references in many cultures including Native American, Celtic, Christianity and Egyptian.
Last year, I noticed many of the trees along Rt. 39 did bear “fruit” but this year I have not noticed any dangling from the limbs. Like many nut bearing trees, the sycamore does not bear every year. When we were very young kids, I remember my mother collecting the sycamore “fruit” in the fall one year, spray painting the golf ball size spheres silver and gold and attaching a looped string to them so we could use them for Christmas tree ornaments. I would consider this more of a folk-art type craft decoration today, but I don’t ever see anyone using them. The “fruit” is poisonous to people, so it doesn’t have much use otherwise.
The tree is quite distinct if you look for it. It does like to grow along the banks of streams, and the brown bark flakes off exposing a beautiful white smooth skin underneath. The leaf is similar to the shape of a maple leaf, but I’ve come to notice in the fall the sycamore leaf is a mottled blend of yellow, rust and green. The leaves hang on to beautiful sprawling tree limbs that branch out, allowing the leaves to grow individually instead of in tight clusters. The types of trees the artist Grandma Moses painted in her works is the way I would describe the Sycamore’s leafing pattern. The singular leaves set against the white and mottled tree trunk and limbs make the tree stand out among the forest of deciduous trees in our fall landscape. I am a fan!
Although I missed my opportunity to collect the Sycamore tree “fruit” this season, you can bet that I will be collecting next fall for my Christmas tree ornament craft project.
