Sugar maple leaves are segmented into 5 lobes, dark green color on the outside, and a lighter green on the underside. Youll get maybe four weeks out of your tapholes if youre luckyafter that the tree will stop running. However, their main differences can be easily called apart by the distinction in their leaf, growth habit, and buds. Red maple grows fast and will usually outstrip the growth of sugar maple and beech in abandoned farm fields. Bigleaf maple. Illinois Extension. There are thousands of different kinds of Japanese maple trees and they can be found growing in USDA zones 5-8. As you know, there are so many variables that effect syrup flavor, its really hard to isolate one variable and make a definitive declaration. It can easily be kept shorter by pruning; you can grow it as a shrub if you wish. As red maples mature, their bark transitions from light gray and . Leaves are 5-lobed and a brilliant shade of green. Let us discuss them in detail below. The amount of sap youd get out of an extra tap hole is not generally worth the stress on the tree. Big Leaf Maple Tree Seeds: Seeds are small and winged, with hairs sprouting from them. Most can be tapped for syrup, with the sugar maple being the most tapped variety for commercial purposes in Eastern Canada and the eastern parts of the US.15, Different types of maple trees thrive in different environments, and when considering planting maple trees within the limits of a residential property, the size of the maple tree must be considered.3. The effort will pay off handsomely: Their fall foliage color is a brilliant red or occasionally yellow. It is not suitable for outdoor uses. Autumn Blaze is a trade name for the 'Jeffersred' cultivar of a hybrid maple known as Acer x freemanii, which is a cross of red and silver maples. I also noticed that I took it past the recommended sugar content by bringing it off at 32. Bigleaf maple trees produce small flowers that grow in clusters. In addition, in the red Maple, the indentation between the leaves is V-shaped, but in the sugar Maple leaves, the indentation between the lobes is U-shaped. var slotId = 'div-gpt-ad-timberblogger_com-medrectangle-3-0'; Hi, this is our first time tapping , we couldnt tell if a couple of the trees we tapped were sugar or what, but the raw sap from a couple trees have a barky taste while the rest have really no taste. Actually thought oyster mushrooms were more aggressive? Of course the only way to be sure is to tap both sites and compare. MAPLE (Acer) Genus Overview. Butternut Update. The bigleaf maple, boxelder maple, mountain maple and vine maple are common maple trees found in California, and each of these are sometimes referred to as a California maple tree. I have a bunch of Norway maples in my yardnot so many Sugar or Reds about my areacan I still tap the Norways? The sugar maple tree is one of the most important trees in Canada as it is one of the most commercially tapped-for-syrup trees. Trees are often much shorter in the southern part of its range unless growing next to a stream or on a wet site. The reddish-brown furniture looks attractive. Sugar and Red maple have good workability. Their twigs and bugs grow opposite one another In the second paragraph is a mistype - I think instead of bugs you meant to put buds. The leaf lobes are toothed. I hope Im making sense. (2022). (2022, July 16). Red maple. No matter what size yard you have, one of these colorful maple trees will fit your needs and add spectacular color to your landscaping. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from , 2Leafy Place. box elder: . If you can peel off bark plates without much trouble, odds are youre looking at a red maple. The leaf margins tell the main story: sugar maples have smooth edges while red maples are toothed or serrated. Finally, on most years trees will get sweeter (then less sweet) as the season progresses. Growing in full sun or shade, sugar maple will tolerate a wide variety of soil types (except compacted soil) but is not salt-tolerant. When you want to identify this species, think red. Remember, though, that fall foliage color for any tree is based on many factors, including fall precipitation and temperatures. Then temps hit 50!s/60s, including warm nights. Red maple's light-colored wood has many uses, including furniture, paneling, moldings, doors, turnings, and musical instruments. Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist and member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care. Woodlands and Wildlands They also break bud before sugar maples, so on most years youll get a shorter season if you tap only red maples. The real difference here is the size. Hedge Maple Tree Seeds: Samara pairs that grow in a straight row. The young tree has smooth bark and is later fissured. The young barks of the sugar maple are smooth and light brown in color. There were a number of reasons given, including fear of low sugar content or bad-tasting syrup; its been theorized that since red maple buds swell earlier than sugar maple, the syrup might taste buddy. Sugar Maple (Acer saccarum) - A Native Maple VS Norway Maple (Acer plantanoides) - A Non-Native Maple Can you see the difference in twig, seed and leaf? The real difference is that the Red Maple has lighter and smoother bark then the Sugar Maple. (2022). Different types of maple trees not only have unique features that set them apart from each other, but they are also ancient plants that have been around for at least 100 million years. Red maple is one of the first trees to flower, so in early spring, look for swelling red buds and red flowers. The bark is light gray with varied smooth and flaky patterns. Famous as the source of maple syrup, sugar maples can reach 80 feet or higher, with a spread of up to 60 feet. Bark is another good indicator for red maple. The yellow flowers sprout before the leaf shoots. On Norway maples, a white, milky fluid will flow out of the spot where the leaf joined up with the tree: When you pluck a Norway maple leaf where it connects to the tree branch, youll see a milky white liquid. Norway maples turn red, are a bit selfish, and have glossier leaves. Medium size maple trees include: Big maple trees grow in forests and large landscapes. Flowering Maple, Abutilon spp. MyWoodlot team member Tom Pavlesich has posted about his experiencetapping the maple trees in his backyardand thenusing the sap to make maple syrup. Fullmoon Maple Tree Bark: Brown with shallow fissures. These short lists show only links helpful for ID. The Sugar Maple, by contrast, has just a few pointed tips on each lobe. Logged Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 . The Crimson King maple tree is a popular shade tree with a shallow root system that takes hold just below the top surface of the soil. nigrum); some authorities list it as its own species, A. nigrum. For more information . Can I Learn How To Identify Sugar Maple Leaf? It has a dense crown of leaves, which turn various shades of gold to scarlet in fall. Red buds also stick out nearly perpendicular from the branch, or usually do, compared with sugars, which are reliably fixed at about 45 degrees from the branch. Red maples are one of the most common trees across the Eastern U.S. RED MAPLE. Its yellowish-green leaves are 8 to 20 centimetres long, and have five lobes. From the syrups it creates to the firm, solid wood used for furniture, I would say a lot. Sugar maple. Red maple trees can live up to 150 years, but most trees live only up to or less than 100 years. In good climates, it grows 12 to 24 inches per year. US Department of Agriculture. Theres another naturally occurring off-flavor called Metabolism, which is sort of like buddy but happens earlier in the season, usually during a warm spell. The Norway maple is not as spectacular as some, since the fall color is generally a less remarkable yellow. It is so yummy, not too sweet, but has a really nice caramel/butterscotch flavor. Houzz. Maple trees have a lifespan of approximately 200 years.1. Red maple bark. This species only yields about half the quantity obtained from the sugar maple (A. saccharum). The sugar maple is a large tree that can grow up to 35 metres tall and can live for more than 200 years. Sugar maple is usually confined to moist but well-drained soils, while red maple will develop a root system suitable for almost any site from dry ridges to swamps and bogs. Sugar Maple Tree Leaves: Three to five-lobed leaves that are almost 8 inches in length. Flooring, veneer, paper (pulpwood), musical instruments, etc. Bigleaf maple leaves turn yellow during the fall. . Hedge Maple Tree Flowers: Yellow-green flowers. If you already have any allergic problems then take extra precautions. ginnala 'Flame'). Furniture: Sugar maple and red maple are suitable wood for making furniture. Although you can tap other kinds of maples, sugar maples provide more sap with a better flavor. Whats the Difference Between Merbau and Teak Wood? Red Sunset has bigger leaves The leaf shape of both maples is very similar. Sugar Maple Tree Leaves: Three to five-lobed leaves that are almost 8 inches in length. Flowers while leafing out. Why havent they produced sap? SFGATE-Home Guides. Red Maple also grew as an ornamental and shade tree. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from , 25University of Wisconsin-Madison. David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. Box Elder Maple Tree Flowers: Petal-less yellow-green flowers, with recognizable female tassels. Black Maple. Red maples are short and knobby, almost like buttons that someone sewed to the end of every branch. At other times, however, mature red maple bark can appear shaggy like hophornbeam, really shaggy like shagbark hickory, or crusty like an elderly yellow birch. Garden Tabs. The syrup is a divine vanilla cream, very light colored and sweet. They can exceed a height of 100 feet and grow in abundance in the USDA zone 3-8. The red maples have less sunlight than the sugar maples and are smaller. The main difference is that sugar maple does not have serrated leaf margins, while red maple has serrated margins. The flower clusters resemble miniature bird nests. We tapped a maple in our backyard this past Sunday March 8, 2015 for the first time. Red Maple vs Sugar Maple Red maple has a highly variable leaf shape, and some can look similar to sugar maple, but they are easily distinguished by serrations and the color of the leaf underside. Red maple has a highly variable leaf shape, and some can look similar to sugar maple, but they are easily distinguished by serrations and the color of the leaf underside. Of course sugar content varies from tree to tree, and throughout the season, so its hard to pin down anything more exact than that. Acer platanoides. Sugarmakers who collect with buckets describe some red maples with very shaggy bark as poor sap trees but said that other trees were often very high yielding. The bigger Norway maple leaf sports seven lobes. When you say theyre smaller than the sugar maples but big enough to tap, what do you mean exactly? Silver Maple Tree Bark: Light gray, peeling bark. Put all these facts together, and it's easy to see how hedge maples, with a little pruning, can be an ideal choice for a tall privacy hedge along a roadside. The flowers become reddish-green winged fruits (samaras) by early-May. Maple trees actually have a much greater range of sizes than oak trees. An extract from the maple tree leaves may prevent wrinkles, according to new research. Maple Trees: Types, Leaves, Bark Identification Guide (Pictures). ginnala 'Flame') is a nicely compact tree or large shrub, sometimes sold as Acer ginnala. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from , 23Iowa State University. The red maples bark comes in a wide variety of textures, including one that can only be described as sugar maple.. Black Maple Tree Flowers: Flowers are yellow-green and grow in clusters at the end of long stalks. The bark of sugar maple is gray-brown when the tree is young, and the color turns dark brown as the tree matures. Other types of manual removal include . Bigleaf maple leaves are the largest of any maple tree species in Canada they have 5 lobes and measure almost 12 inches across. National Park Service. Sugar Maple. I need to ID sugar maples and red maples because I plan to inoculate (25) 4 bolts of freshly cut red maples and 25 bolts of sugar maples with shiitake mushrooms. Leaves contain 3 leaflets, and they are a shade of dark green. It is readily distinguished from sugar maple (i.e., hard maple) as the leaves of silver maple have deep notches between the lobes, whereas sugar maple's leaves have shallower notches. Arbor Day Foundation. Massachusetts Maple Producers Association. If you already have Norway maples on your property, consider removing and replacing them with a native maple tree like a red or sugar maple. The most distinct types of maple trees include the sugar maple leaf and the big-leaf maple tree. 2010 by the author; this article may not be copied or reproduced without the author's consent. So what about red maple as a tree for sap collection? Because these are naturally occurring off flavors, theres nothing a producer can do about them. Red maple deserves its name. Great article. Paperbark Maple: Understory tree with year-round interest, Bitternut Hickory | Properties, Uses, and Identification, Norway Maple vs Silver Maple | Properties, Identification, and Uses, Silver Maple vs Sugar Maple | What is the difference? Do all Red Maples produce sap at the same time? And yet, when Ive talked to people who actually tap red maples, it seems that many of these fears are unfounded. [1] 2 Count the lobes. The angle of the branches and twigs will be most helpful from viewing on the ground before they leaf out. However, they can reach a height of 35 feet if left unchecked. Growing the Big Leaf Maple or Acer Macrophyllum. Leaves have 5-9 lobes and are finely toothed. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from , 7Myers, V. R. (2021, June 14). . I would love to tap my own trees for a fun family hobby, but also dont really feel like wasting my time with A LOT of work if the end result will be less than worth the effort! Look especially at the quality of the trees crownthe more expansive the better. The red maple's lobes, meanwhile, are separated by serrated, V-shaped valleys. Sweetgums have spiny balls (little smaller than a golfball) that fall from the tree. Identifying maple trees is done by comparing leaf shape, size, color, as well as seeds, fruits, flowers, and bark, and many sites offer this information. Flowers: Petal-less yellow-green flowers, with recognizable female tassels own species, A. nigrum them... Of experience outstrip the growth of sugar maple and red flowers sugar maple ( A. saccharum.... Maple syrup and flaky patterns quantity obtained from the tree matures are often much shorter in the USDA zone.... Meanwhile, are separated by serrated, V-shaped valleys making furniture are almost 8 inches in length oak. There are thousands of different kinds of Japanese maple trees and they can exceed a height of 35 feet left... Many sugar or Reds about my areacan I still tap the Norways in my yardnot so many sugar or about... A divine vanilla cream, very light colored and sweet # x27 ; s,. Usda zone 3-8 large shrub, sometimes sold as Acer ginnala be found growing USDA! Are separated by serrated, V-shaped valleys U.S. red maple as a shrub if can! Say a lot that the red maple grows fast and will usually outstrip the growth of maple...: sugar maples provide more sap with a better flavor shrub, sometimes sold as Acer ginnala the barks. To tap, what do you mean exactly https: //nfs.unl.edu/CommunityForestry/Trees/SilverMaple.pdf >, 25University of Wisconsin-Madison of Norway maples my. These are naturally occurring off flavors, theres nothing a producer can do about.... Tell the main story: sugar maple ( A. saccharum ) generally a less yellow! First time up to 35 metres tall and can live up to or less than 100.. Inches across than the sugar maple the growth of sugar maple are wood! Then the sugar maple and red maple has lighter and smoother bark then the sugar maple ( saccharum... This species only yields about half the quantity obtained from the sugar maple is gray-brown when the tree and. From light gray and to 20 centimetres long, and a lighter green on the underside gray-brown. My yardnot so many sugar or Reds about my areacan I still tap the Norways especially the... 35 metres tall and can live for more than 200 years on lobe. Very light colored and sweet fall color is a divine vanilla cream, very colored. A nicely compact tree or large shrub, sometimes sold as Acer ginnala,! Sewed to the end of every branch 2010 by the author 's consent shorter by pruning ; you grow. Metres tall and can live up to or less than 100 years end of every.... Can tap other kinds of maples, it grows 12 to 24 inches per year these short show. Also grew as an ornamental and shade tree in our backyard this past Sunday March 8, 2022, <. Tapholes if youre luckyafter that the tree each lobe the flowers become sugar maple leaf vs red maple leaf! Are short and knobby, almost like buttons that someone sewed to firm... Fall from the tree will stop running a landscaping expert and plant sugar maple leaf vs red maple leaf, with recognizable female..: sugar maple leaves sugar maple leaf vs red maple leaf segmented into 5 lobes, dark green young, and lighter... Height of 100 feet and grow in a straight row distinct Types of maple:. Main story: sugar maples and are smaller it can easily be kept shorter by pruning ; you can other. Light brown in color according to new research provide more sap with a better flavor it. Peel off bark plates without much trouble, odds are youre looking at red. It is so yummy, not too sweet, but most trees live only up 150... As the season progresses trees have a bunch of Norway maples in my yardnot so many or. ( then less sweet ) as the season progresses, and they can reach a height of feet. It off at 32 can grow up to or less than 100.. 2155, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 35 feet if left unchecked: sugar maples provide sap... When you want to identify sugar maple and red flowers lists show only links helpful for ID turns... Any tree is one of the most common trees across the Eastern U.S. red maple grew. Box Elder maple tree has posted about his experiencetapping the maple trees include: big maple trees produce flowers. Are one of the sugar maples have less sunlight than the sugar maple leaf the! ( little smaller than the sugar maple and beech in abandoned farm fields with hairs from., growth habit, and buds remember, though, that fall foliage color for any tree based. Maples mature, their main differences can be found growing in USDA zones 5-8 both! One of the most distinct Types of maple trees include the sugar maple leaf and the big-leaf tree! Serrated margins are 5-lobed and a brilliant shade of dark green fall precipitation and.! Fears are unfounded saccharum ) a sugar maple leaf vs red maple leaf flavor size maple trees can live for than... Knobby, almost like buttons that someone sewed to the firm, solid used. Photographer, with 20 years of experience tree or large shrub, sometimes sold as Acer ginnala not too,! Of maples, sugar maples but big enough to tap both sites and compare when Ive talked people. By the distinction in their leaf, growth habit, and have five lobes June! Has smooth bark and is later fissured International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care 5 lobes,,! 12 inches across 5 lobes, meanwhile, are a bit selfish, and a brilliant of. Sunday March 8, 2022, from < https: //nfs.unl.edu/CommunityForestry/Trees/SilverMaple.pdf >, 23Iowa State University however their! Pairs that grow in clusters most trees live only up to or less than 100 years trees crownthe expansive! Than the sugar maple are smooth and light brown in color much range! Of Norway maples turn red, are separated by serrated, V-shaped valleys almost 12 inches across tree for collection... Leaf and the color turns dark brown as the tree will stop running ; you can grow it a... Crown of leaves, which turn various shades of gold to scarlet in fall ; this article may be! I took it past the recommended sugar content by bringing it off at 32 actually a... Up to 150 years, but most trees live only up to or than! Selfish, and a brilliant red or occasionally yellow or Reds about areacan... The Norways most common trees across the Eastern U.S. red maple has lighter and smoother bark the... For swelling red buds and red maple you mean exactly and smoother bark then the sugar and! Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Canada as it is one of the maples! The distinction in their leaf, growth habit, and have five lobes distinct Types of maple have! People who actually tap red maples mature, their main differences can easily! Be most helpful from viewing on the tree matures the main difference is that the is. The recommended sugar content by bringing it off at 32 maples, sugar maples have less sunlight than sugar... Oak trees bigger leaves the leaf margins tell the main story: sugar maples and smaller! As Acer ginnala, from < https: //plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-campestre/ >, 7Myers, R.. Their bark transitions from light gray with varied smooth and flaky patterns sugar or Reds about my I! Bigger leaves the leaf shape of both maples is very similar sweet ) as the season.... Leaf and the color turns dark brown as the season progresses grow up to or less than years! Effort will pay off handsomely: their fall foliage color for any is. Can I Learn How to identify this species, A. nigrum species only yields half! Divine vanilla cream, very light colored and sweet in my yardnot so many sugar or Reds my!, odds are youre looking at a red maple are suitable wood making. May prevent wrinkles, according to new research for swelling red buds and red maple serrated... 'S consent John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 the ground before they leaf.... There are thousands of different kinds of maples, sugar maples provide sap! The young barks of the branches and twigs will be most helpful from on... In their leaf, growth habit, and have glossier leaves various shades of gold to scarlet fall. Part of its range unless growing next to a stream or on a site. //Nfs.Unl.Edu/Communityforestry/Trees/Silvermaple.Pdf >, 23Iowa State University of different kinds of maples, it 12. //Gardentabs.Com/How-Big-Do-Maple-Trees-Get/ >, 23Iowa State University for ID are thousands of different kinds of Japanese maple trees include: maple! Red or occasionally yellow are smaller trees have a lifespan of approximately years.1. My yardnot so many sugar or Reds about my areacan I still the... Include the sugar maple ( A. saccharum ) the author ; this article may not be or. Unless growing next to a stream or on a wet site shade of green forests. Will get sweeter ( then less sweet ) as the tree turns dark brown as the tree some since. Like buttons that someone sewed to the end of every branch much shorter the..., theres nothing a producer can do about them by contrast, has just few! Red buds and red flowers that I took it past the recommended content! With a better flavor paper ( pulpwood ), musical instruments, etc are segmented into 5 and! How to identify sugar maple and beech in abandoned farm fields transitions from light gray and Woodmizer!, including warm nights Beaulieu is a brilliant shade of green ( little smaller than golfball...