Habitat is another clue distinguishing the Sugar Maple from the Red Maple. This growth habit contrasts with that of the Striped Maple (which is a small tree or large shrub, often divided into several branches from near the base) and the Mountain Maple (which usually grows as a bushy shrub). The mature Sugar Maple is a large tree, growing 50-70 feet tall, with a straight, single trunk, many ascending branches, and a symmetrical oval head.Sugar Maple bark lacks the distinctive narrow, white vertical strips of the Striped Maple. The bark of the Sugar Maple is smooth and gray when the tree is young, becoming irregularly furrowed, scaly, and dark gray on older trees.The leaves of the Sugar Maple also differ from those of the Striped Maple (which are uniformly and finely double-toothed) and the Mountain Maple (which are coarsely toothed).Also, the dips between the lobes of the Sugar Maple are u-shaped, while the indentations between the lobes of the Red Maple are pointy, forming a sharp "v." However, the leaves of the Sugar Maple lack the irregularly and usually double-toothed margins of the Red Maple. Both Sugar Maple and Red Maple leaves may have five lobes.Keys to identifying the Sugar Maple and differentiating it from other maples include its leaves, bark, growth habit and habitat. The leaves turn red, yellow, or orange in autumn, contributing to the brilliant palette of colors seen in September and early October in the Adirondacks. The upper surface is green in the summer the lower surface is pale green to whitish. There is a moderately deep U-shaped notch between the lobes. Each of the largest three lobes has one to several sharp-pointed tips. The leaves of the Sugar Maple usually have five squarish, shallow lobes. Like other maples, Sugar Maples have opposite, lobed leaves. Sugar Maple at the Paul Smiths VIC (19 September 2012) Other Common Names: Swamp maple, Water maple, Sort mapleĪverage Size at Maturity: 60-90 ft tall and 30-40 ft wideįlowering Season: Late winter/early spring.Sugar Maple leaves turn red, yellow, or orange They produce a lot of samaras, ‘helicopter-like’ seeds which can be used to grow saplings but can also prove problematic as they can clog drains and gutters if left unchecked. Red maples prefer full to partial shade with moist soil. Small pink flowers appear in late winter to early spring, which are very attractive to pollinators. They’re fast-growing faster than Norway and Sugar maples, but not as fast as silver maples. They are deciduous and have a round to oval crown. Red maples have smaller leaves than other maples but are still suitable as shade trees. They’re one of the most common deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. Red maples are named after the eye-catching shows of red they put on during the fall. Fruits ripen from September to October and are dispersed in October and November Other Common Names: Moosewood, Moose maple, Snake bark maple, Goosefoot maple, WhistlewoodĪverage Size at Maturity: 15-35 ft tall and 15-20 ft wideįlowering Season: May-June. Whilst they’re not suitable as a shade tree, they’re very good at attracting wildlife to your yard, including moose and whitetail deer who love to feast on the leaves, as well as the black-throated blue warbler. They prefer a damp climate, in full to partial shade with well-drained soil. Striped maples are small in terms of trees and often appear more like shrubs. Fall sees the typically, three-lobed maple leaves turn a beautiful shade of yellow, whilst winged seeds hang off the branches in clusters. The striped maple has a distinctive look due to its unique striped bark, which is green and smooth, running vertically when young, changing to reddish-brown as the tree matures. Fruit are large samara from the pollinated flowers, with broad, paired wings and a green colorĪvailable at: Nature Hills & Fast-Growing-Trees Other Common Names: Creek maple, Soft maple, Water maple, Swamp maple, Silverleaf maple, White maple, Large mapleĪverage Size at Maturity: 50-80 ft tall and 30-50 ft wideįlowering Season: Late winter/ early spring. Silver maples can be found on streets as well as in parks. In their natural habitat, they can be found near streams and marshes, so are tolerant of moist soils, although they can also be grown in drier areas. Silver maples have a shallow root system that can push up hard surfaces. Fall sees the leaves turn red, with some even turning orange/yellow, which creates a pleasant effect. They are large and stately trees, with an undulating crown due to the branches which tend to hang down. The name comes from the silver underside of the otherwise green leaves. The silver maple is a popular type of maple in Pennsylvania. Image Credit: Andreas Rockstein via Flickr
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |