Plant Family: Sapindaceae
Growth Form: Large tree up to 30 meters tall with a broad crown.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, 8 – 15 cm long, with five pointed lobes separated by U-shaped sinuses; turning attractive shades of yellow, orange and red in autumn.
Bark: Gray and rough, with characteristic raised, scaly plates that stand out from the trunk.
Flowers: Small, greenish yellow, held in hanging clusters, appearing at the same time as the leaves, from late April to June.
Fruits: Paired samaras with thick globose seeds; June to October.
Habitat: Well-drained upland soils, widely planted.
Range: Throughout New England, north into Canada, west to Minnesota and south in the mountains to northern Georgia.
Similar Species: Red Maple has V-shaped notches separating the leaf lobes; Norway Maple exudes milky sap from the base of the broken leaf petioles and has tightly fissured bark.
Comments: Sugar Maple is one of New England’s most important trees; it is a major component of upland forests and is widely planted, both as a shade tree and for its showy autumn foliage. The sap of Sugar Maple is well-known for producing the finest maple sugar and syrup; production occurs in all New England states, with the majority coming from Vermont. The hard wood is commercially valuable, used for flooring and furniture. Sugar Maple is the state tree of Vermont, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
