American sycamore is known for growing quickly and producing very large and resilient trees. Many specimens have been recorded with D.B.H (diameter at breast height) of more than 10ft. This tree makes an excellent riparian (streambank) tree and will help to stabilize eroding banks quickly. Once mature, American sycamore will readily spread via seed to other disturbed areas of bank. It is a long-lived and robust tree, but also has important ecosystem functions after a tree dies. Once dead, American sycamore often leaves behind large hollow cavities inside its trunk. These cavities make excellent sites for dens and nests for many mammals and birds such as black bears, wood ducks, barred owls, and great-crested flycatchers. Although its sap is low in sugar content compared to other syrup trees, you can tap and boil down the sap of the American sycamore into a nice syrup with a flavor often compared to butterscotch.