Botanical name:  Acer saccharinum
Family: Aceraceae

Click on images of Silver Maple to enlarge.

A.K.A. soft maple, river maple, white maple, water maple, silverleaf maple, creek maple

• 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
• Flowers appear in the early spring before the leaves in drooping racemes.
• Seeds are large two winged samaras and are eaten by numerous animals.
• Commonly found in wetlands, near rivers and waterways.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. Fine for large open spaces.
• Full sun
• Zones 3-9

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