silver maple identification
Silver maple leaves have very deep margins between the five lobes, and the underside is silver or white in color. Unlike silver maple trees, the sugar maple’s horseshoe-shaped, double-winged fruits mature in fall. The silver maple reaches 50 to 80 feet in height and has a 35- to 50-foot-wide, vase-shaped canopy. If you have any questions regarding trees, forests, wildlife, wood products or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page. Not a tree we recommend in landscapes due to the high pruning maintenance caused by storm damage and the tendency for the branches and trucks to hollow out becoming a safety issue. Height 100' or more with a diameter of up to 36" or more; trunk usually short, divided into a number of long ascending limbs that are again divided and their small branches droop but turn upward at tips, forming a broad, rounded crown. Red and silver maple are closely related and have similar buds, but are usually easy to tell apart by leaves and growth habit. The silver maple is also known as Acer saccharinum, soft maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, swamp maple, water maple, and white maple. The silver maple’s leaves are green on the upper surfaces, silvery on the undersides, 3 to 6 inches long and wide, and deeply lobed, with five separate lobes. Silver maple is a rapidly growing maple found throughout much of the eastern United States and extreme southeastern Canada, where it is often tapped (sometimes heavily) in a particular location (Figure 3.9). Don't mistake the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) with the silver maple, both of which have similarly lobed leaves with paler undersides. Study the leaves to identify a silver maple tree. The leaves are arranged opposite each other in pairs. The Silver Maple is similar to the Sugar Maple that was previously identified in many ways. A distinguishing feature of silver maples is that the twigs emit a foul or fetid odor when the bark is bruised or scraped. Family: Aceraceae. It is a fast grower and, at one time, more used in urban landscapes where it is still common, though its huge size often dwarfs the landscape and its brittle wood is prone to storm damage. Insects infesting silver maple trees (Acer saccharinum) range from nothing more than an annoyance to a more serious concern that can lead to the trees' defoliation and loss of vigor. The silver maple is commonly used for bottom land reforestation and for rehabilitation of degraded and surface-mined lands. As in case of certain other maple tree species, even the silver maple is used for syrup extraction. Acer saccharinum, commonly known as silver maple, creek maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, large maple, water maple, swamp maple, or white maple, is a species of maple native to the eastern and central United States and southeastern Canada. When mature, they separate and whirl down from the tree on a single "wing." Fall coloring is green to yellow-brown, and is not striking. Silver maples have a flaky gray bark, whereas red maple trees have dark brown bark. Grain/Texture: Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. The leaves are arranged opposite each other in pairs. Many different species of maple trees exist, a majority of which are found growing throughout North America. The silver maple grows in a wide range of soil types but prefers deep, moist, acidic soil. Also notice the tree's growth habit to identify the silver maple. The leaves of the Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) can be distinguished from those of the Sugar maple. The seeds grow in a pair of "wings." Hardy in zones 3-9, silver maple tree growth is about 2 feet (0.5 m.) or more per year. Like the red maple, silver maple is a relatively short-lived tree when compared to the sugar or black maple, living perhaps 130-150 years. The silver maple is a large tree that can grow to be 35 metres tall with a trunk that’s more than 100 centimetres in diameter. The tree is useful in wet areas, transplants easily, and can grow where few others can. It should be saved for planting in wet areas or where nothing else will thrive. see more; Synonyms Acer dasycarpum Acer eriocarpum. Many different species of maple trees exist, a majority of which are found growing throughout North America. Click on images of Silver Maple to enlarge. It is a fast grower and, at one time, more used in urban landscapes where it is still common, though its huge size often dwarfs the landscape and its brittle wood is prone to storm damage. Because of its fast growth rate, however, mature trees can achieve diameters in excess of 3 feet and heights in excess of 100 feet. Silver maple trees are extremely fast-growing and have vigorous, spreading roots that can easily damage sidewalks, foundations, driveways and sewer or septic lines. Don’t mistake the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) with the silver maple, both of which have similarly lobed leaves with paler undersides. It is one of the most common trees in the United States. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. For example, the autumn blaze maple tree is a hybrid of a red maple and a … Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, spider on the green leaf of maple tree image by starush from, http://www.arborday.org/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ID=26, Maple-Trees.com: Maple Tree Identification. Near waterways, beavers often eat silver maple bark and use their limbs for building beaver dams and lodges. Acer rubrum × Acer saccharinum → Acer ×freemanii Murray is a rare maple hybrid known from MA, ME, NH, VT. Its natural habitat is along stream banks, floodplains, and lake edges where it grows best on better-drained, moist alluvial soils. 3 It's is a medium-sized tree of short bole and quickly branching crown. The Japanese Maple leaves have narrow lobes and the Silver Maple has deeply cut leaves. How to Grow Silver Maple Trees. Also notice the tree’s growth habit to identify the silver maple. Silver Maples' Appearance Like all maple trees, it has a five-pointed leaf and produces a prolific amount of seeds in the early spring. Boulder Tree Care – Pruning & Tree Removal Services. Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee tells you a little about how to identify Silver Maple trees and differentiate them from other species of maple. Silver maple trees can tolerate compacted, poor soils, hot and dry climates, urban conditions and even air pollution. These maple trees produce 1- to 2-inch-long, elongated fruits that are green to brownish in color and mature in spring. The lobes are often very deep; the margins of the leaves are toothed and the upper surface is bright green while the … Identify the silver maple by its bark, which is silvery-gray when young. Study the leaves to identify a silver maple tree. Native; Deciduous; Rapid growth rate; Reaching 65′ – 85′ in height; Crown has 40′- 55′ spread; Bark is grey and peels; Leaf has 5 lobes; Opposite bud arrangement on branches Sarah Terry brings over 10 years of experience writing novels, business-to-business newsletters and a plethora of how-to articles. Twigs : The buds are rounded, red or reddish-brown, blunt-pointed, and generally like those of the red maple. The leaf blades are similar to A. saccharinum but have V-shaped sinuses, a shorter central lobe, and teeth distributed over the apical 50–75% of the lobes. Sap is edible and can be used to make syrup although it is not a common practice and is not used in commercial syrup production. Five common species are shown here. As the silver maple tree ages, the bark develops thin, scaly plates on its trunk with a reddish tint to the scales. The silver maple tree (Acer saccharinum) is mostly distributed throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Silver maple trees can tolerate compacted, poor soils, hot and dry climates, urban conditions and even air pollution. Silver maple trees are extremely fast-growing and have vigorous, spreading roots that can easily damage sidewalks, foundations, driveways and sewer or septic lines. silver maple bark identification 4 December 2020 / in Geen categorie / by / in Geen categorie / by Silver maples are typically grown as shade tree in landscapes and are prized for their attractive leaves. A distinguishing feature of silver maples is that the twigs emit a foul or fetid odor when the bark is bruised or scraped. Side buds often nearly as large as terminal buds. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) Large, reddish buds round to blunt-tipped; 4 or fewer pairs of bud scales visible. All Rights Reserved. soft maple, river maple, white maple, water maple, silverleaf maple, creek maple. Description: It is a tree that reaches sixty to eighty feet in height (the record tree in the Big Tree Register is one hundred and fifteen feet tall), with grayish bark in scales, peeling in older trees. Silver Maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns. The leaves are opposite, simple, and palmately lobed with five lobes. Look at the flowers to spot silver maple trees. Study the leaves to identify a silver maple tree. Silver maple is a large canopy tree that occupies a variety of moist to wet woodland habitats, especially floodplains where it can tolerate extensive periods of flooding and siltation. Silver maple has a vase shape and is a rapidly growing, fairly weak-wooded tree that reaches a height of 60 to 80 feet with a 5- to 6- foot diameter trunk on a moist site. The silver maple’s leaves are green on the upper surfaces, silvery on the undersides, 3 to 6 inches long and wide, and deeply lobed, with five separate lobes. It has a winged fruit but the wings hang down at an angle whereas those on the field Maple are flat. Identification of the leaves of the Texas maples, along with some ornamental types, can be challenging, as a few of these trees have very similar foliage. Unlike silver maple trees, the sugar maple's horseshoe-shaped, double-winged fruits mature in fall. The flowers are yellowish-red and bloom during early to mid-March. It is usually found growing in open sunlight along creeks and waterways. They al… Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) is the fastest growing maple either native or planted in Iowa. Although the silver maple‘s Latin name is similar, it should not be confused with Acer saccharum, the … The undersides of the leaves are much lighter than the tops and can shimmer like silver when wind ruffles the leaves, giving Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) its common name. One would be the silver coloring on the back of the leaves and that the overall size of the Silver is larger (3-5 inches on the Sugar as opposed to 5-7 inches on the Silver). Its natural habitat is along stream banks, floodplains, and lake edges where it grows best on better-drained, moist alluvial soils. Silver maple is a tall, fast-growing, native tree of eastern North America. The maple trees native to Texas do not include such familiar species as the sugar maple or the silver maple, but several maples do grow within the state. Family Sapindaceae . Throughout much of the commercial maple region, however, most … The Norway Maple differs from the Field Maple and Sycamore in that its lobes and teeth have finely pointed tips. Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee tells you a little about how to identify Silver Maple trees and differentiate them from other species of maple. All rights reserved. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Commonly found in wetlands, near rivers and waterways. Without proper and frequent pruning high winds and ice can cause limbs to break. Identify maple trees by their bark: Maple tree bark is generally gray-brown to reddish-brown. Botanical name: Acer saccharinum It does have some commercial wood value and is used for making a large variety of wood working projects that include (to name a few) : musical instruments, cabinetry, furniture and flooring. soft maple, river maple, white maple, water maple, silverleaf maple, creek maple. 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