The American sycamore is a woody, deciduous tree that is native to North Carolina. They can grow anywhere from 75 to 100 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter. This species typically lives around 200 years, but there have been trees reported to be 600 years old! 

The American sycamore can grow 3 to 6 feet per year! This high growth rate makes it one of the fastest-growing shade trees. This species is monoecious, meaning it produces both male and female flowers. The male flowers are conical-shaped and yellow-green colored. The female flowers are round and reddish colored. Flowers and leaves appear around April and May. 

Additionally, Sycamore trees produce fruit balls that have a fibrous interior and are tightly packed with seeds. In the spring, the tree can be tapped to extract sweet sap for syrup.

The American Sycamore has hard, strong wood. This makes the tree great for creating furniture and cutting boards. Native Americans used to use these trees to construct canoes. Unfortunately, the wood rapidly decays in the ground. (NC State Extension, 2022)