American Sycamore

Platanus occidentalis

Native to Georgia (estimated)

Platanus occidentalis — leaf photograph — Nathan Howell; Howell, Krings and Braham (2016) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph · Original published individual photograph panel; no crop, retouching, or re-encoding

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

39CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including GA

Genus host records with ranges including GA · Platanus

Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Actias lunaLuna Moth
Ancylis divisanaTwo-Toned Ancylis
Ancylis platananaSycamore Leafroller
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
Conchylodes ovulalisZebra Conchylodes

Show all 39

Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
Eupsilia vinulentaStraight-Toothed Sallow
Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
Halysidota harrisiiHarris's Tussock Moth, Sycamore Tussock Moth
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Isochaetes beutenmuelleriSpun Glass Slug
Lithophane signosaSycamore Pinion, Signate Pinion
Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Misogada unicolorDrab Prominent
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
Pococera militellaSycamore Webworm
Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Scolecocampa liburnaDead-Wood Borer
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Platanus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Platanaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: Yellow, green or red
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Single stem
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Yellow, green or red” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “75–100 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “75–100 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

American Sycamore; Plane Tree; Sycamore

Conservation status

Georgia rank	Not available
Global rank	G5
GA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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