Acer saccharum
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Acer barbatum
- Phonetic Spelling
- AY-ser sac-KAR-um
- Description
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Northern sugar maple is a deciduous tree in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) native to Eastern and central North America from Canada south through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and west to Minnesota to northeast Texas. In North Carolina, it is found in the mountains and sporadically in the Piedmont. Genus name is the Latin name for a maple tree. Specific epithet means sugary regarding the sweet sap.
Northern sugar maple may reach 50 to 120 feet tall with a dense, spreading crown that provides heavy shade and grows slowly to medium, although it may grow faster in open areas. It grows best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil in full sun but will tolerate average well-drained soils in sun to part shade. It is intolerant of compacted soil, high heat, air pollution, and road salt commonly found in urban environments.
The leaves have 5 lobes and coarsely toothed edges and turn brilliant shades of red, orange or yellow in the fall. In spring drooping racemes of yellow flowers are followed by winged samaras clustered on long reddish stalks in summer.
The tree can be tapped for syrup when it is about 40 years old. It takes about 32 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.
It is the national tree of Canada and the leaf is featured on the flag.
Northern sugar maple is best used as a shade tree in lawns or park-type settings. It is the only tree commercially used today for syrup production.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Aphids, borers, and scale may be present. Verticillium wilt, anthracnose, cankers, leaf spot, and tar spot can affect unhealthy trees. Leaf scorch may occur in drought conditions. Roots can crack sidewalks and clog drains and septic systems. Sensitive to heat, drought, salt, and soil compaction. 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.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- ‘Barrett Cole'
More columnar, 30 feet tall - ‘Bonfire’
50 feet tall, faster growing, better heat tolerance. - ‘Commemoration’
50 feet tall, faster grower, good fall color. - ‘JFS-KW8'
50 feet tall, reliable fall color - ‘Morton’
30-40 feet, better heat and drought tolerance - 'Natchez'
Dwarf form, 15 to 25 feet. - 'Shawnee'
Dwarf form to 25 feet high.
- ‘Barrett Cole'
- ‘Barrett Cole', ‘Bonfire’, ‘Commemoration’, ‘JFS-KW8', ‘Morton’, 'Natchez', 'Shawnee'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- ‘Barrett Cole'
More columnar, 30 feet tall - ‘Bonfire’
50 feet tall, faster growing, better heat tolerance. - ‘Commemoration’
50 feet tall, faster grower, good fall color. - ‘JFS-KW8'
50 feet tall, reliable fall color - ‘Morton’
30-40 feet, better heat and drought tolerance - 'Natchez'
Dwarf form, 15 to 25 feet. - 'Shawnee'
Dwarf form to 25 feet high.
- ‘Barrett Cole'
- ‘Barrett Cole', ‘Bonfire’, ‘Commemoration’, ‘JFS-KW8', ‘Morton’, 'Natchez', 'Shawnee'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Acer
- Species:
- saccharum
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- These trees can be tapped to make maple syrup. The wood is used for flooring, furniture and other items. Native Americans and early European settlers used this tree as a main source of sweetener. Native Americans are also known to have used the sap of this tree for candies, as a beverage, in beer (fresh or fermented), and used to cook meat.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and central North America
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: NB , NS , ON , PE , QC
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- 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. The seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals. The cavities are utilized by cavity-nesting birds. Deer and moose browse the stems and leaves. Porcupines consume the bark and can girdle the upper stem. Butterflies and other pollinating insects enjoy the nectar from the flowers.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Pieces Used in Games
- Shade
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Edibility:
- Sap used for maple syrup
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 120 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Oval
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- 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
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is U-shaped, paired, papery-winged samara that averages 1 inch in length. Color is green maturing to brown. Available from June to September in North Carolina.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Panicle
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Separate male and female flowers are greenish-yellow drooping panicles on long slender stems in clusters up to 3 inches long. In North Carolina, the flowers are available from April to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3 to 6 inches long and wide with 5 lobes. The basal lobes are relatively small, while the upper lobes are larger and deeply notched. The tip acuminate, base cordate and margins entire. Color is dark green in summer, changing to yellow, orange and red in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Ridges
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Irregular
- Bark Description:
- The bark variable but generally light gray to gray-brown. Becomes furrowed, with long irregular thick plates or ridges with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Bud Scales:
- Enclosed in more than 2 scales
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- Stems are slender with lenticels. Stems and buds can be green, brown to reddish-brown. Buds are 1/4"-1/2", cone-shaped, acute, and have 4-8 pairs of lateral scales.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
