Question
I read your answer from 2006 about trying to plant seeds from a sycamore fruit ball.  You mentioned that the ball has to remain below 40 degree for 90 days for the seed to grow.  I live in Northern Oklahoma.  We normally don't get 90 days straight below 40, so do I need to place my fruit balls in the frig for 90 days?  This is probably the reason that we do not see a lot of sycamore trees popping up by them selves at my place of work.  We have these fruit balls every where every year but no new sycamore trees ever sprout.

Answer
Hi Lester,
Thanx for your question.  If you plant the sycamore seeds outdoors in your Oklahoma climate, that will be a sufficient period of time for the seeds to experience the required cold period.  Otherwise, plant the seeds in a pot lightly covering with moist but not soggy soil.  Place inside a plastic baggie and seal.  Place inside the fridge for about 90 days.  I hope this helps.  The reason you don't see many seedlings at work is more due to landscaping and mowing than failure of the seeds to experience the cold period.  Northern Oklahoma is Zone 6 or 7 and that is sufficient cold time for most deciduous seeds to break dormancy.  Also, animals love to eat tender young seedlings as do many birds.  A seedling pushing up in an open lawn has little chance of survival between lawn mowers and animal predation.  I hope this helps.
Tom