Sycamine Tree

Sycamine Tree is mentioned only once in the New Testament, in Luk 17:6, ’And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye might say unto this sycamine-tree,’ etc. From a slight similarity in name, this tree has often been confounded with the sycamore, both by ancient and modern writers. Both trees are, however, mentioned by the apostle, who must have had the technical knowledge necessary for distinguishing such things. Though the English version avoids translating the word, there can be little doubt of the mulberry-tree being intended; and it is frequently so rendered. The mulberry is a tree which we might expect to find mentioned in Scripture, since it is so common in Palestine. It is constantly alluded to by old travelers, and indeed is much cultivated in the present-day, in consequence of its affording food for the silkworm; and it must have been common also in early times, or the silk-worms would not have obtained suitable food when first introduced. As the mulberry-tree is common, as it is lofty and affords shade, it is well calculated for the illustration of the above passage of Luke.

Sycamine Tree. The Sycamine tree is mentioned only in Luk 17:6. There is no reason to doubt that the sycamine is distinct from the sycamore of the same evangelist. Luk 19:4. The sycamine is the mulberry tree (Morus). Both black and white mulberry trees are common in Syria and Palestine.

Luk 17:6; distinct from the SYCAMORE (Luk 19:4; Septuagint in Old Testament translated the latter however sycamine, meaning the Egyptian sycamine). The sycamine is the mulberry tree (morus) cultivated for supplying food for the silkworm caterpillars. Slow growing; but attaining large size, and stretching deep roots, so that it would require strong force to "pluck it up by the root."

Sycamine Tree. This must be carefully distinguished from the sycamore. It is mentioned but once, Luk 17:6; referring to the black mulberry tree.

sik´a-mı̄n, (συκάμινος, sukáminos (Luk 17:6)): This is generally accepted as the black mulberry tree (Morus nigra; Natural Order, Urlicaceae), known in Arabic as tût shrâmı̂, “the Damascus mulberry,” a fine tree which grows to the height of 30 ft. It produces the dark blood-red mulberry juice referred to in 1 Macc 6:34 (μόρον, móron), “the blood of ... mulberries,” which was shown to the elephants of the Syrians. The white mulberry, M. alba, has white and less juicy fruit, and it is cultivated largely for the sake of its leaves with which the silkworms of the Lebanon are fed.