Genus: Plantanus (plane)

Family: Platanaceae (plane)

(Part I – in a two-part series on “Truth and Trees.”)

Trees have been intertwined with truth for thousands of years. In fact they share the same Indo-European root “deru” – meaning solid, strong, steadfast.

“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.” – Herman Hesse

Trees hold the stories of our shared history if we take the time to listen. When we lose our understanding of history we endanger our ability to know truth. Without truth to inform us, it’s difficult to discern what direction to take or what to believe. When I heard about the Sycamore Gap Tree I sensed it was time to tell the story of how the name “sycamore” came to be.

On September 28, 2023, the “Sycamore” Gap Tree was senselessly cut down near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England. It was planted in the 1830’s by John Clayton, who spent 50 years excavating a portion of Hadrian’s wall in order to protect it. The “sycamore” tree he planted nearly 200 years ago was in fact a maple tree, Acer pseudoplatanus.

Acer is the genus (generic) name for maple, the species (specific) name pseudoplatanus, means “false-plane”. This was due to the similarity of it palmate leaves with that of the well known plane tree. This “false-plane” maple is now the “type species” for the entire maple genus. It was officially introduced to England in the 1500’s where it was given the name “sycamore.” When the British brought this “sycamore” tree to North America the colonists named it “sycamore maple.”

Plane trees belong to the Platanaceae (plane) family, of which Platanus (plane) is the sole genus. There are only twelve known species of Platanus in the world, nine of which are native to the Americas. Several large species of plane trees, native only to the America’s, were mistakingly identified as “sycamores” due to the similarity of its leaves to the newly introduced “sycamore maple.”

The name “sycamore” with an “a” is the English adaptation of the name of the ancient sycomore fig, Ficus sycomorus, native to Egypt and the Middle East. “Sycomore” with an “o” is the English adaptation of the Hebrew word sycamine and the Greek word sukomoros which are found in the New and Old Testaments of the Bible.

How did a maple, a plane and a fig tree all come to be named sycamore?

My first introduction to the “sycamore” tree was through the song: “Dream a little dream of me,” The opening lyrics are; “Stars shining bright above you. Night breezes seem to whisper “I love you.” Birds singin’ in the sycamore trees. Dream a little dream of me.” I imagined the sycamore as a large tree that lived sleepily in the deep south. Later, when I met my husband, I learned that his great uncle, Fabian Andre, actually co-wrote the music for this song in 1931. Its timeless message of love, longing and hope inspired me to learn more about the enchanted sycamore.

What I learned was that the name “sycamore” was actually inspired by the sycomore fig, Ficus sycomorus, which is native to Egypt. The ancient Egyptians named it Nehet meaning “refuge.” Its edible figs were known as the “Figs of the Pharaoh.”

Ficus sycomorus was brought to modern day Israel, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon over 3000 years ago to be cultivated for its fruit. This large, semi-deciduous tree produces fruit in the form of round edible figs that grow on stems attached to the bark. Sycomore figs have been a dietary staple for at least 10,000 years.

In Egyptian mythology, sycomore fig trees were symbolic of the ancient fertility goddesses Hathor, Nut and Isis, dating back to 3100 BCE. They were each known as the “Lady of the Sycomore,” mothers of the Sun god Ra/Horus who rose in the east and set in the west. Every sunrise was seen as the birth of the “son” from the “Mother Tree.” Two sycomores, symbolic of the “Mother Tree”, stood on the eastern horizon to mark the sun’s passage as each new day was born. The wood of this large shade tree was also used to build Sarcophagi so the dead could return to the “Mother Tree” and be nurtured back to life.

So how did the Egyptian sycomore fig tree become associated with the maple and plane trees of Europe and the Americas?

The answer began during the Tudor period (1485 – 1603) of England, when trade between England and mainland Europe increased exponentially. The Great maple of Central Europe and Western Asia, as well as the Oriental plane tree of Southwestern Europe, were introduced to the British courts as large ornamental shade trees. They were planted in royal gardens as perimeter trees or gifted to the homes of British aristocracy. The fast-growing Great maple, which could reach heights of 115 ft and live to be 400-600 years old, made the biggest first impression. The Oriental plane took longer to establish itself in the colder British climate. Within a matter of years the prolific Great maple began to self-populate throughout the British Isles, which meant it could be found in the farms and villages of everyday folk.

The fate of these trees took an interesting turn in 1533, when King Henry the VIII (c. 1491 – 1547) separated the Church of England from the Catholic Church of Rome. In 1939, as the head of the Church of England, he authorized the first English edition of the Great Bible, which was only read out loud by church priests during church service.

King James I (c. 1566 – 1625), Henry’s great-great-grandson, commissioned a newer more inclusive English version, which was published in 1611. The King James Bible became a driving force in the English-speaking world because it was accessible to all the people of England.

The Old Testament, translated from Hebrew to English, mentioned the Hebrew “sycamine” tree seven times. In Hebrew the sycomore fig is called shikma “fig-mulberry”, or sycamine based on the root sh.k.m., which meant to restore, regenerate and reestablish. The New Testament, translated from Greek, Latin and Aramaic, mentioned the sycomore tree at least twice. Ancient Greeks named it sükomoros – meaning “fig-mulberry” based on (sükon – “fig”) + (moron – “mulberry). In Latin it was sycomorus, in Aramaic it was shiqmah.

One of the Biblical stories that touched the British imagination was the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19: 1-10. Zacchaeus, a tax collector working for the Romans in Palestine, climbed a sycomore tree in order to see Jesus walking through Jericho. When Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the tree he called for him to climb down. Jesus then invited himself to Zacchaeus’s home. The crowd questioned Jesus as to why he would want to go to the house of a tax collector who cheated them. Jesus replied that he came to help everyone, even those that did harm. This inspired Zacchaeus to become a better person and repay everyone he had cheated.

This story of acceptance, forgiveness and redemption became such a popular Christian teaching that the British people began searching for a sycomore tree of their own. Since they had never seen a “true sycomore” tree they imagined it to be a fast-growing shade tree with large low-hanging branches. The newly introduced Great maple, which had naturalized itself throughout the British Isles, became the perfect candidate. The idea of having the Biblical tree of Zacchaeus in their own backyard inspired them to name the Great maple “sycamore.”

During the 1600’s the British began traveling between the “New World” and the “Old World.” They brought their beloved “sycamore” to the colonies where it became known as a “sycamore maple.”

The irony in this story is that the plane trees (Platanus occidentalis), which are native only to the Americas, were mistakingly identified as sycamore trees based on the resemblance of its leaves to the sycamore maple. They called this “newly discovered tree” – American sycamore.

In 1636 John Tradescant the Younger, a British plant collector and avid gardener, traveled to the colonies to collect specimens. He brought seeds of the “New World” western plane (Platanus occidentalis) to England and planted them in the same Royal garden as the “Old World” eastern plane (Platanus orientalis). By 1700 a new species of plane tree was growing in the royal garden.

As trade continued to increase between countries and continents, the naming of plants and animals became more confusing and jumbled. The original names were lost due to the inability to understand and translate multiple languages.

Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) “The Father of Modern Taxonomy” created the modern system of binomial nomenclature (two-term naming system). He identified the first part of the name as the “genus” (generic name) and the second part as the “species” (specific name). He also used Latin as the preferred language of science to identify over 7300 different plant species in his book Species Plantarum, published in 1753. This book marked the beginning of modern botany.

Based on the ancient texts of Theophrastus, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides, as well as the Bible, Linnaeus knew of the ancient sycomore fig tree of Egypt. He confidently placed the sycomore fig in the Ficus (fig) genus, which today represents 850 species native to the tropics. The Latin name for this species was sycomorus, which had been used for nearly 1500 years. The type species in the Ficus genus is Ficus carica (common fig). The Ficus genus belongs to the Moraceae (mulberry-fig) family.

Linnaeus needed to create a new and unique name for the maple genus. He chose Acer, meaning “sharp” in Latin, based on the characteristic sharp points of its palmate leaves. He officially named theGreat maple, which the British called “sycamore,” Acer pseudoplatanus. The species name Pseudoplatanus or “false plane” was based on the similarities between the leaves of the Acer (maple) genus and the more ancient Platanus (plane) genus. He identified Acer pseudoplatanus as the “type species” for the Acer (maple) genus. There are over 132 species of maple in the world, most are native to Asia. All maples are members of the Sapindaceae (soapberry) family, its closest relative is the horse chestnut.

Acer pseudoplatanus (false plane) and Platanus orientalis (true plane) do share many similarities. They are both deciduous hardwood trees with palmate leaves that are used as large shade trees in parks or along roads and walking paths. But, these two trees differ dramatically when looking at their non-edible “fruit.” The “false-plane maple” Acer pseudoplatanus, commonly called “sycamore” or “sycamore maple,” produces fruit in the form of a double-winged seed pod called a samaras or helicopter seed, something which all maples produce. All “true-planes” such as, Platanus orientalis, produce fruit in the form of round-seeded balls.

Linnaeus easily identified the genus for the well-documented and influential plane tree as Platanus, which means “plane” tree in Greek and Latin. He named the type species Platanus orientalis, meaning plane tree from the east (orient). Platanus is based on the Indo-European word platys, meaning “broad” from the PIE root pele “to spread.” Eastern planes can reach heights of 150 feet and live to be 2000 years old. Plane trees are the only members of the Planataceae family.

In 1805 the newest member of plane family was officially named, Platanus x acerifolia, based on the Linnaean naming system. The species name Acerifolia, means “like the leaves of a maple.” This “hybrid” plane represented a blend of the “Old World” eastern plane with the “New World” western plane. This species became so popular in London that it became known as the London plane. When the “oriental” plane tree was introduced to London it helped inspire the English landscape style of gardening. By 1920 more that 60% of London’s trees were plane trees. When London Planes were introduced to North America they were commonly referred to as “sycamore” trees.

The history of the plane tree is far from “plain.”

The Iliad, written by Homer (c. 800 BCE) tells the story of the “platanistos” or plane tree. It was so revered by Greek soldiers that they gathered around it to perform a ceremony before invading Troy.

Greek historian, Herodotus (c. 484 – 425 BCE) “The Father of History” wrote of how a magnificent plane tree detracted Xerxes of Persia (c. 518 – 465 BCE) on his way to invading Greece. Xerxes was so captivated by this plane tree that he took the time to present it with golden ornaments and stationed a guard to protect it. This time-consuming act cost him the war and allowed the Athenian Empire to flourish.

Greek physician, Hippocrates (c. 450 – 380 BCE) “The Father of Medicine” taught medicine to his students under the shade of a plane tree on the island of Kos. The “Tree of Hippocrates” is an eastern plane tree that marks the exact place where Hippocrates once taught.

Greek philosopher, Plato (c. 428 – 348 BCE) saw plane trees as sacred and divine beings in their own right. He felt that by standing in the presence of a plane tree one could explore matters of the soul. In Plato’s Phaedrus, he chronicled a discourse between Socrates and Phaedrus where Phaedrus swore a solemn oath in the presence of a plane tree as if it were a god. Plato planted plane trees throughout Athens, as symbols of truth and integrity. He saw them as sentient beings.

Greek philosopher and botonist, Theophrastus “The Father of Botany” (c. 371 – 287 BCE) wrote two groundbreaking books that systemized plants by name, type and use. Enquiry into Plants “Historia Plantarum,” and On the Causes of Plants “De causes planetarium.” Each book contained 8 to 10 individual volumes. First published in the 1400’s and translated from Greek to Latin, they served as the foundation for Carl Linnaeus, who called Theophrastus “The Father of Botany.” Theophrastus also taught under the shade of the plane trees at the Academy of Athens.

Plane trees were also admired by the Romans, Persians and Turks who planted them in gardens, public parks and promenades. Royal courts saw plane trees as a sign of nobility, wisdom and strength.

In Kashmir the plane tree is known as a Chinar tree, and designated as their State tree. The name Chinar comes from the Persian word meaning “what a fire” inspired by its orange and red leaves in autumn.

The largest species of plane tree (Platanus occidentalis – western plane) is native only to the United States. These magnificent trees are often mistakingly called “sycamore” or “American sycamore”. Other names include; buttonwood, button ball, American plane, water beech or whitewood. Platanus occidentalis can reach heights of 160 feet with massive trunks and roots. There are several other species of plane that are native to the eastern and central United States as well as the mountains of Northeastern Mexico and Southeast Canada. Unfortunately the “true” name of the plane tree got lost in the shuffle due to its leaves resembling the Great maple that was mistakingly named “sycamore.”

It is important to note that the name “plane” shares it roots with other notable words such as: plant, planet, plaza, place and possibly even Plato himself. Platanus is based on the Indo-European word platys, meaning “broad.” All of these words are based on the Proto-Indo-European root pele or pleh₂ meaning “to spread.” We are being reminded that plane trees are not only ancient and impressive shade trees, they are in fact wisdom keepers that stretch our imagination and expand our mind.

“Maybe you are searching among the branches, for what only appears in the roots.” – Rumi

My concern is that this story of tangled roots and misplaced words is reflective of our disconnection from trees and their impact on our world. My hope is to shed light on how trees informed our ancestors thousands of years ago as well as the wisdom they hold for us today and the legacy they leave for future generations. By knowing and sharing the truth about these magnificent trees we can honor them by beginning to call them by their “true” name.

Trees that are mistakingly called “sycamore.”

• Sycomore fig
  • Ficus sycomorus – sycamore
• False-plane maple
  • Acer pseudoplatanus – sycamore or sycamore maple
• True-plane
  • Platanus orientalis – (eastern plane) – sycamore
  • Platanus occidentalis – (western plane) – American sycamore
  • Platanus x acerfolia – (maple-like plane) – London plane & sycamore
  • Platanus racemosa – (cluster plane) – California sycamore or Western sycamore
  • Platanus mexicana – (Mexican plane) – Mexican sycamore
  • Platanus wrightii – (Charles Wright plane) – Arizona sycamore

Honor these trees by knowing their “true name.”

• Sycomore fig
  • Ficus sycomorus – Sycomore fig
• False-plane maple
  • Acer pseudoplatanus – European maple
• True-plane
  • Platanus orientalis – (eastern plane) – Eastern plane
  • Platanus occidentalis – (western plane) – Western plane
  • Platanus x acerfolia – (maple-like plane) – London plane
  • Platanus racemosa – (cluster plane) – California plane
  • Platanus mexicana – (Mexican plane) – Mexican plane
  • Platanus wrightii – (Charles Wright plane) – Arizona plane

“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” – Galileo 

Today’s Message: The plane spirit reminds us to unlearn what we think we know in order to understand the truth that is hidden in plain sight. This is a time of expansion as we broaden our horizon to see the bigger picture before acting on misguided information even if it was well intentioned.

Today’s Challenge: To not believe everything you are told, which can make you vulnerable to misinformation. Spreading misinformation based on unsubstantiated information.

If you liked what you read and want more... you may be interested in having the actual guidebook and card deck. The 204 page full-color book is sold separately from the cards. My goal is to find a publisher who can offer this as a set. In the meantime, you can purchase either the book or cards via these links.

Thank you for you support. Laural

Tree Spirit Tarot – Return to the Garden of our Soul

Tree Spirit Tarot book available at: Amazon

Tree Spirit Tarot deck available at: Printers Studio

To read Part II on Truth and Trees click on this link – Cedar – Pine