Tree of the Week: March 25th, 2025
With our team heading to Massachusetts for the @ArborExpo, we thought ArborNote’s Tree of the Week should be the American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) because of the famous Buttonball Tree located in Sunderland! As of November 2019, the tree was over 113 ft high, with a girth of 25 ft and 8 in and a canopy spread of 140 ft. Though the age of the tree is unknown, it is estimated to be well over 350 years old, with many estimates saying that the tree is closer to 400. Because of their longevity, during the 17th and 18th century sycamores were sometimes planted at the door of new houses for newlyweds as “bride and groom” trees to state their love and long lasting devotion to one another. There is a plaque set in stone in front of the tree, which was added in 1987, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, and the tree’s age. It was a living tree when the Constitution of the United States was signed. Also, the terms under which the New York Stock Exchange was formed is called the Buttonwood Agreement, because it was signed under a Buttonwood tree. These trees have been witness to many interesting moments in our countries history!
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