Re: How do trees make sap or syrup?

Plants make sap but people make syrup by boiling sap to get rid of most of the 
water. The famous sap used to make maple syrup is derived from starch stored in 
living cells in the roots and trunk of the sugar maple tree. In early spring, 
the starch is converted into sucrose (table sugar). The sugary sap occurs in 
the plant xylem or water conducting tubes, which consist of dead cells. Maple 
tree farmers drill holes about 3 inches deep into the maple trunk and put in a 
metal spout or plastic tube to drain out the sap. The sap is under pressure 
because the sugary sap attracts water into the tree through the roots, and 
there is no transpiration because the tree has no leaves in early spring.

The sap is barely sweet to the taste and only contains about 2% sucrose, 
varying from 1 to 4%. Maple syrup is made by boiling the sap until the sucrose 
content is about 67% sucrose

Plants make starch or sucrose originally via photosynthesis.

References


How Maple Syrup Is Made


The Sap is Running


Maple Syruping