Knowledgebase

Tree identification #923545

Asked January 12, 2026, 4:29 PM EST

Could you please identify this tree?

Charles County Maryland

Expert Response

We can't identify it with certainty without more visible structures with clear detail (twig features like bud shape, leaf arrangement, etc.), but the somewhat distinctive bark looks like that of either American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis; native) or London Planetree (Platanus x acerifolia, sometimes listed as Platanus x hispanica; non-native, but also widely planted). You can use the Virginia Tech dendrology key online if you'd like to examine other features for a more concrete ID, if you have access to the rest of the tree. Their key can be used both during the growing season (to ID leaves) and during winter, and the database does include both species of sycamore/planetree.

Miri
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied January 12, 2026, 5:15 PM EST

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