Quercus

Sycamore Maple

Acer pseudoplatanus

Not native to Kentucky

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  • Box-elder
    Acer negundo

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Red Maple
    Acer rubrum

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Sugar Maple
    Acer saccharum

    Similar growth form, spread, evergreen or deciduous

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

268CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Acer

  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Moth
  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acleris chalybeanaLesser Maple Leafroller Moth
  • Acleris semiannulaHalf-Ringed Acleris
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Show all 268
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Acronicta ovataOvate Dagger, Epauleted Oak Dagger
  • Acronicta retardataBantam Maple Dagger, Retarded Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Adoxophyes negundanaShimmering Adoxophyes Moth
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Anaplectoides prasinaGreen Arches Dart
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Ancylis platananaSycamore Leafroller
  • Anisota senatoriaOrange-Tipped Oakworm Moth, Orangestriped Oakworm
  • Anisota virginiensisPink-striped Oakworm Moth
  • Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
  • Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
  • Apamea amputatrixYellow-Headed Cutworm Moth
  • Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
  • Argyresthia subreticulataSpeckled Argyresthia Moth
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
  • Besma endropiariaStraw Besma
  • Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Caloptilia bimaculatellaMaple Caloptilia
  • Caloptilia packardellaPackard's Caloptilia
  • Cameraria aceriellaMaple Leafblotch Miner
  • Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
  • Catastega aceriellaMaple Trumpet Skeletonizer
  • Catocala cerogamaYellow-Banded Underwing
  • Catocala micronymphaLittle Nymph
  • Catocala palaeogamaOldwife Underwing
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
  • Cenopis mesospilaWhite-Tailed Fruitworm Moth
  • Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Cepphis armatariaScallop Moth
  • Chaetaglaea sericeaSilky Sallow
  • Charadra deridensThe Laugher
  • Chionodes obscurusellaBoxelder Leafworm Moth
  • Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
  • Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Cladara atroliturataThe Scribbler
  • Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
  • Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
  • Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Cydia candanaMaple Seedworm Moth
  • Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira tephraTephra Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
  • Dryocampa rubicundaRosy Maple Moth, Green-Striped Mapleworm, Rosy Dryocampa
  • Dysstroma truncataMarbled Carpet
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Elaphria alapallidaPale-Winged Midget, Northern Festive Midget
  • Elaphria chalcedoniaChalcedony Midget
  • Elaphria versicolorVariegated Midget
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Epiglaea declivaSloping Sallow
  • Episimus tyriusMaple Tip Borer
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Etainia ochrefasciellaHard Maple Budminer
  • Eubaphe mendicaThe Beggar
  • Euchlaena amoenariaDeep Yellow Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena irrariaLeast-Marked Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena serrataThe Saw-Wing
  • Eucirroedia pampinaScalloped Sallow
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eugonobapta nivosariaSnowy Geometer
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
  • Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
  • Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
  • Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
  • Eupsilia vinulentaStraight-Toothed Sallow
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
  • Euxoa tessellataTessellate Dart, Striped Cutworm
  • Gesta juvenalisJuvenal's Duskywing
  • Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Heterocampa pulvereaWhite-Blotched Heterocampa
  • Heterophleps triguttariaThree-Spotted Fillip
  • Homorthodes furfurataNorthern Scurfy Quaker
  • Hydrelia inornataUnadorned Carpet
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena baltimoralisBaltimore Bomolocha, Baltimore Snout
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Isa textulaCrowned Slug
  • Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
  • Lacanobia subjunctaSpeckled Arches, Subdues Arches, Harnessed Mamestra, Speckled Cutworm Moth, Grand Arches?(incorrectly)
  • Laetilia coccidivoraScale-Feeding Snout
  • Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Lambdina pellucidariaYellow-Headed Looper, Eastern Pine Looper
  • Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
  • Lithophane heminaHemina Pinion
  • Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
  • Lithophane laticinereaBroad Ashen Pinion, Russet Spotted Pinion, Triple-Spotted Pinion
  • Lithophane patefactaDiomorphic Pinion, Branded Pinion
  • Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
  • Lithophane unimodaDowdy Pinion
  • Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
  • Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
  • Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
  • Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
  • Lyonetia prunifoliellaStriped Bent-wing
  • Lytrosis sinuosaSinuous Lytrosis
  • Lytrosis unitariaCommon Lytrosis
  • Macaria aemulatariaCommon Angle
  • Macaria ulsterataBirch Angle, Peacock Moth
  • Macaria pustulariaLesser Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • Metanema determinataDark Metanema
  • Metaxaglaea viaticaRoadside Sallow
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
  • Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
  • Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nemoria lixariaRed-Bordered Emerald
  • Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
  • Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
  • Olethreutes nigranumVariable Nigranum, Dark Olethreutes
  • Olethreutes nitidanaShining Olethreutes
  • Operophtera bruceataBruce Spanworm
  • Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia alurinaGray Quaker
  • Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
  • Pachypolia atricornisThree-Horned Sallow
  • Packardia elegansElegant Tailed Slug
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
  • Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
  • Papaipema furcataAsh-Tip Borer
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Paraclemensia acerifoliellaMaple Leafcutter, Maple Case-Bearer
  • Parallelia bistriarisMaple Looper Moth
  • Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
  • Peridea basitriensOval-Based Prominent
  • Pero ancetariaHubner's Pero
  • Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
  • Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
  • Phiaris glacianaFrosted Olethreutes
  • Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Phyllonorycter lucidicostellaLesser Maple Leaf Blotch Miner
  • Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
  • Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
  • Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
  • Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
  • Plagodis serinariaLemon Plagodis
  • Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
  • Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
  • Polia nimbosaStormy Arches
  • Prionoxystus macmurtreiLittle Carpenterworm, Lesser Oak Carpenter Worm
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Proteoteras aesculanaMaple Seed Caterpillar, Maple Twig Borer
  • Proteoteras crescentanaNorthern Boxelder Twigborer, Black-Crescent Proteoteras
  • Proteoteras moffatianaMaple Bud Borer, Maple Shoot Borer
  • Proteoteras willinganaBoxelder Twig Borer Moth, Negundo Twig Borer
  • Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
  • Psaphida resumensFigure-Eight Sallow
  • Psaphida styracisFawn Sallow
  • Pseudexentera spolianaBare-Patched Leafroller
  • Pseudohermonassa bicarneaPink-Spotted Dart
  • Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
  • Psilocorsis cryptolechiellaBlack-Fringed Leaftier
  • Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
  • Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
  • Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
  • Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak, Falacer Hairstreak
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Selenia alcipheariaNorthern Selenia, Northern Thorn
  • Selenia kentariaKent's Geometer
  • Sonia canadanaCanadian Sonia Moth
  • Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
  • Strepsicrates smithianaBayberry Leaftier
  • Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
  • Symmerista leucitysOrange-Humped Mapleworm
  • Synanthedon acerniMaple Callus Borer Moth
  • Synanthedon acerrubriRed Maple Borer, Maple Clearwing
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Tortricidia flexuosaAbbreviated Button Slug Moth
  • Tortricidia pallidaRed-Cross Button Slug
  • Tortricidia testaceaEarly Button Slug
  • Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
  • Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
  • Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
  • Zale galbanataMaple Zale, Boxelder Zale
  • Zale lunataLunate Zale
  • Zale minereaColorful Zale
  • Zanclognatha cruralisEarly Zanclognatha, Early Fan-Foot
  • Caloptilia speciosella
  • Caloptilia umbratella
  • Carmenta corni
  • Eupithecia swettii
  • Phyllonorycter clemensella
  • Proteoteras naracana
  • Stigmella apicialbella
  • Trypanisma prudens
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
7BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Acer

  • Aix sponsaWood Duck
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
  • Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
  • Ectopistes migratoriusPassenger Pigeon
  • Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Sapindaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–7b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Yellow or green

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

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Bergahorn; Sycamore Maple

Conservation status

Kentucky rankSNA
Global rankNot available
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source

Sources