Sycamore tree : flowers and seeds ...

I stood under my favourite sycamore tree yesterday. It was quite early in the morning and the sun was at the right height.

Over the years I have taken many photos of this wonderful tree. I call it the Totoro tree.

We reckon that it must be over 250 years old judging by the age of the house and the width of the tree's trunk. We haven't yet measured its girth.

This time of the year, the whole place buzzes, but this tree in particular hums with life.

I like the Latin name of the tree, acer pseudoplatanus. As I child I lived quite close to a an avenue of a related type of sycamore, Platanus occidentalis, and I was apparently quite allergic to the fruit/seed when dry. That fruit resembled pompoms.

Looking closer at the colour of the leaves in the sun and then at some of the creatures that allowed me to photograph them, I noticed the flowers and was reminded of grapes hanging from the vine. Did you know that they actually hang in 'racemes'? In Spanish we say 'racimos de uva'.

As you can see the seeds are also forming; I learnt during a coppicing course that they're also called keys.

I am already looking forward to seeing them twizzle down in the autumn.

Do you have a favourite tree ?