Sycamore

Peach, Tomato, Hazelnut, Apple, Celery

Sycamore occupies a notable place in Arizona’s natural and landscaped environments alike. The Arizona Sycamore is native to Arizona and New Mexico, with its range extending south into the Mexican states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa. The tree is a large deciduous tree growing up to 82 feet. It is a tree of central Arizona’s transition zone in the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains region, making it especially common along canyon bottoms, riparian corridors, and washes in places like Sedona’s Oak Creek Canyon, the Verde Valley, and the canyon country around Globe and Payson. It is also frequently planted as an ornamental shade tree throughout the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.

From an allergy standpoint, sycamore is considered a moderate rather than severe allergen. Platanus wrightii, the Arizona Sycamore, is classified as a moderate allergen. Still, sensitization to sycamore pollen is not an uncommon event among adults with allergic rhinitis, with research showing roughly one in five sensitized patients reacting to it, and co-sensitization to other trees, weeds, and fungi increases the likelihood of sycamore sensitivity.

Sycamore pollen tends to release earlier in spring compared to many other tree pollens, which can catch people off guard before they have started their allergy medications for the season. In Arizona this typically means symptoms beginning in late February and building through March and April, overlapping with the broader spring tree pollen surge from mulberry, ash, and oak.

Cross-reactivity is a meaningful consideration for sycamore-sensitive patients. Sycamore pollen has shown cross-reactivity with hazel, alder, and birch tree pollens, as well as grass pollens, and foods including peach and tomato. Patients with these sensitivities may also notice oral allergy syndrome symptoms when eating certain raw fruits.

If you live near a riparian area or canyon environment in Arizona and notice early spring symptoms, sycamore is worth ruling in or out through testing. The team at Carefree Allergy can identify your specific triggers and build a treatment plan tailored to your needs, whether sycamore is a primary driver or one of several seasonal allergens contributing to your symptoms.