Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus

The sycamore is one of Britain's most widespread trees and was naturalised several centuries ago having been introduced from mainland Europe. A tough, long-living tree, one example in Dorset, named after the Tolpuddle Martyrs, is at least 320 years old.

The sycamore is a survivor. A hardy immigrant to the British Isles, it can withstand salty sea spray, cold winters, shady conditions, almost any type of soil and usually flourishes wherever it grows. It is not known when Acer pseudoplatanus was introduced to Britain but suggestions range from Roman times until as late at the 17th century.

There was certainly one in Dorset in 1834 when a group of labourers met under a sycamore and formed a society to protest against their falling wages. While trade unions were legal by this point, swearing oaths in a society were not, and the members were arrested and found guilty. The Tolpuddle Martyrs, as they were to become known, were subsequently transported to Australia, although they were released within two years.

The Tolpuddle Tree has recently been dated and was found to have been around 150 years old when the meeting took place. This puts the tree, which still stands today, at around 320 years, far exceeding the common estimate of 200 years for the tree's lifespan.

Abundant throughout the country, many specimens were originally planted in farmyards, as their luxuriant summer foliage provides livestock and dairies with a welcome and cooling shade.

Above all, the sycamore is a resilient and adaptable tree, which grows quickly and seems impervious to harsh weather and pollution. It also produces a good crop of seeds more often and more reliably than beech or oak, helping woodland and urban wildlife alike to survive.