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Identification Clues:
All maples exhibit an opposite branching pattern
with leaves that are simple and have a palmate vein pattern (see photo
below). Sugar maple leaves have five points with moderately deep
indentations in between. This species has watery sap, not the milky
sap of the similar looking Norway maple. Young trees have smooth
silvery bark, but older individual develop a gray-brown furrowed bark.
The flowers are yellowish and small since they lack petals.
Distribution:
The sugar maple is common throughout the Eastern
U.S. black maple, a species very similar in appearance, is native to South
Dakota.
Highlights:
Both the sugar and black maples have sap that
can be boiled down to provide maple syrup. The beautfully grained
wood is prized furniture, making these hardwood species especially valuable.
Because of their density and durability, these maples are often used for
gymnasium floors and bowling alleys. These species are moderately
slow growing, but can live for 200 to 300 years! |
