Habitat: Floodplain forests and swamps, montane alluvial forests, stream banks, flood-scoured rocky bars and shores, and disturbed alluvial habitats; an occasional invader of old fields and disturbed forests on mesic lower slopes and uplands. Common in the mountains and piedmont; frequent in the coastal Plain.
Wildlife Value: Many songbirds including the Purple Finch, Juncos, American Goldfinch, and the Carolina Chickadee enjoy eating the seeds. The tree hosts wood-boring insects and leafhoppers.
Notes: Showy white bark, particularly beautiful in winter. Foliage is aromatic in the summer after a rain. A fungal disease can cause temporary defoliation in wet springs. Tolerates drought once mature. When considering American sycamore for a home landscape, keep in mind that it will require a very large space and its littering of twigs and fruits can be messy.
Edibility: Sap is sweet and tapped in the spring for use as syrup and sugar.