Description

Leaves: Dull dark green above, yellow to brownish yellow in the fall; yellow-green and slightly hairy below; opposite; simple; typically 3-lobed (sometimes 5-lobed), lobes wedge-shaped, drooping tips (wilted appearance), indistinctly toothed; base heart-shaped, 3" to 6" in width, palmately veined; petiole 3" to 5" in length; deciduous.

Twigs/buds: Twigs orange-brown or straw colored; have prominent lenticels. Buds dark gray-brown, hairy; 2 axillary buds are found at the terminal; scales blunt, overlapping.

Flowers/fruit: Flowers dioecious; some perfect; light yellow to white; stalks hairy, 3/4" to 2" in length; have stamens. Fruit a samara; double-winged; 1" long, attached to hairy stalk; matures in fall.

Bark: Dark gray to nearly black; has long narrow ridges, deep furrows, and often scales; may be darker and rougher than A. saccharum.

Wood: Important; heartwood is light-to-darker red-brown; sapwood is white with tinge of red-brown. Part of the hard maple group: it has a uniform, fine texture and high shrinkage; it is heavy, strong, hard, stiff, and shock resistant. Used mostly for lumber and veneer to make flooring, cabinets, furniture, pianos, bowling alleys, and other items.

General: Native to north central and northeastern North American, from New England to South Dakota and Arkansas. Naturally occurring on moist river bottoms or on upland, drier sites. A medium to tall tree (40' to 60') with a dense and elliptical canopy. Good where sugar maple would be good, though may be more tolerant of drought and heat.

Landscape Use: A similar species to A. saccharum (some consider it a variety of A. saccharum) that has done well in Salt Lake City. Flowers, fruit, and buds are similar to A. saccharum, yet it differs in having dark green, mostly 3-lobed leaves with drooping tips and hairs beneath, yellow fall color, darker colored bark, and stipules. Zones 4-8.

Cultivars: 'Commemoration', 'Legacy'.

Characteristics