Platanus occidentalis

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Mexico(Kickapoo), US(WV), US, Italian

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Emmenagogue, Gunshot, Cancer, Wound

Science studied: BETULINIC-ACID

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Platanaceae

Scientific name: Platanus occidentalis

Common names: American Plane, American Plane Tree, American Planetree, American Sycamore, American plane, American plane-tree, American planetree, American sycamore, American sycamore (EN), Bottonball, Buttonball, Buttontree, Buttonwood, Eastern Sycamore, Nordamerikanische Platane

POWO: 685871-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Mexico(Kickapoo), US(WV), US, Italian.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Emmenagogue
• Gunshot
• Cancer
• Wound
• Cyanogenetic
• Fever
• Tonic

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Mexico(Kickapoo)
• US(WV)
• US
• Italian

Documented cultural uses

• Emmenagogue
• Gunshot
• Cancer
• Wound
• Cyanogenetic
• Fever
• Tonic

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Emmenagogue · Mexico(Kickapoo) · "
• Gunshot · Mexico(Kickapoo) · "
• Cancer · US(WV) · "
• Wound · Mexico(Kickapoo) · "
• Cyanogenetic · US · "
• Fever · US · "
• Tonic · Italian · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Platanus occidentalis L. fruit-derived carbon materials for electrochemical potassium storage. · 2025 source ↗
• Mechanical site preparation treatment and species effects on carbon pools in 12-year-old American sycamore [Platanus occidentalis L.] and willow oak [Quercus phellos L.] riparian plantations, Virginia Piedmont, USA · 2025 source ↗
• Prevalence of allergic sensitization to <i>Platanus occidentalis</i> among adults with allergic rhinitis: A multicenter study. · 2023 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• BETULINIC-ACID

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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