California sycamores (Platanus racemosa) are native to California so they grow well here. They are quite common in Central and Southern California along creeks and rivers. Melinda Nestlerode, Solano County Master Gardener, recently wrote about their use as a street tree in the Under the Solano Sun blog. Click here to read more.
The Benicia Tree Foundation has not used California sycamores yet because they grow best when they get regular water, usually along a creek or by a lake. Our projects are typically in drier locations. However, our Caltrans projects have drainage channels running through them so we may plant a few along I-780 this fall.
The photo above is of California sycamores growing as street trees in Paso Robles. This picture was taken in early spring so the trees are just leafing-out. Their leaves are quite large and can create alot of shade. The photo is by “Cultivar413” and is licensed though CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED.