Arizona Sycamore

When you ride your bike through town sometimes you're hit with a sweet, green smell of the Arizona sycamore. It will take you back to all your memories of camping and hiking up creek beds in the 2000 to 5000 feet elevations.

It's a floodplain tree, and needs lots of water to survive. Its bark is mottled and nearly all white when the brown outer bark strips away. It is tall, reaching up to 80 feet. In the spring you can notice small, tiny, hairy brown balls that the flower produces as its fruit.

Its smell will get you drunk with delight. I love the sweet sycamore and would consider it an honored resident in my front yard some day. It is one of the best ornamental trees.