Silver Maple Acer saccharinum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- AY-ser sak-kar-EYE-num
- Description
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Silver maple is a large shade tree in the Sapindaceae (soapberry) family. It gets its common name from the silvery undersides of its leaves. It is native to eastern North America and is often found in flood plains, along streams or rivers, or low-lying woodlands. It has attractive gray to dark brown bark that as the tree matures develops a shaggy appearance as the bark develops long, thin, flaky scales that exfoliate at the ends. This tree grows at a rapid pace and has a graceful form, making it once a very popular landscape tree. It has fallen out of favor recently because of its weak wood and tendency toward breakage. It would make an excellent addition to a rain garden as it can grow in areas of poor soil or wet conditions where other stronger wooded trees cannot. It also thrives in poor acidic soil where few other trees could grow. Specific epithet means sugary in reference to the sweet sap.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems though scale and borers may be present. Verticillium wilt, anthracnose, and canker can affect stressed trees. Silver maples grow rapidly so they tend to have weak brittle branches that are susceptible to breaking in high winds or when coated with ice/snow in winter. Shallow roots may damage nearby sidewalks. See potential disease and insect problem fact sheets to the left.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common maple diseases and insect pests.
Site: Full sun, Partial Shade
VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Blair'
- 'Lutescens'
- 'Blair'
- 'Blair', 'Lutescens'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blair'
- 'Lutescens'
- 'Blair'
- 'Blair', 'Lutescens'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Acer
- Species:
- saccharinum
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Bonsai and to produce maple syrup
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and central North America
- Distribution:
- Eastern and central North America
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Early spring source of nectar for bees. Seeds are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks and birds. Buds are eaten by squirrels after the seeds have sprouted.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Tolerant of poor soils, drought, dry soil and air pollution tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Open
- Oval
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Samara, not ornamentally important. Wings spreading at an 80 to 90 degree angle. In North Carolina, the samaras are available from April to July.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Insignificant, greenish-yellow to red flowers in early spring. Regular, pentamerous in racemes, corymbs or umbels. In North Carolina, flowers are available from February to April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3 to 6 in. opposite, palmately veined leaf with 5 deeply cut lobes; silvery underside; medium green on top, yellow, brown, green combination fall color.
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-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Shaggy
- Bark Description:
- It has attractive gray to dark brown bark that as the tree matures develops a shaggy appearance as the bark develops long thin flaky scales that exfoliate at the ends. After the bark flakes off, it exposes orange inner bark.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy tips
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Lustrous red to brown with a smooth surface. Second year stem becoming gray. Silver maples grow rapidly so they tend to have weak brittle branches that are susceptible to breaking in high winds or when coated with ice/snow in winter.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Weak Wood