Why do sycamores shed their bark?
There are actually several theories: The bark is brittle and can’t accommodate the fast growth and annual diameter accruals of the trunk and branches, so it cracks and exfoliates. According to the United States Forest Service, low winter temperatures may injure the bark and cause excess sloughing. However, New York City property owners who maintain their lawns and sidewalks know that the tree sheds bark year round and throughout its life. One hypothesis is that thin bark is an adaptation to the floodplain environment. Water conservation, an advantage that thick bark offers, is not necessary with the continual availability of moisture. Thin bark may conversely allow for increased transpiration of water through and out of the tree’s system, speeding growth and ultimately leading to exfoliation. Additionally, the anaerobic soil conditions may cause a need for compensatory oxygen or other gas exchange between the trunk and the atmosphere, hence a need for thin, newly exposed bark. However,
