The California sycamore tree can quickly grow to be a large, tall tree (up to 40-100′ when full grown). The leaves are large, thick and often green with three to five lobes. Their leaves have small hairs, which is an adaptation for our Mediterranean climate. The hairs help provide relief from the sun, keeping the leaves cool and allowing them to retain moisture. Sometimes you’ll see hairy, brown seed balls about one inch thick–this is the tree’s fruit. The bark can pretty easily peel off to have varying degrees of neutral tones (beige, white, tan, and brown) beneath it. Sycamores are know for their large, shady canopy which can span 40-70′. These trees provide many opportunities for nesting sites for birds on the branches and in cavities.