Tree Talk: Sugar Maple

This Tree Talk is SWEET! Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is common on mesic soils in the northeastern and Great Lakes regions of the US and in southeastern Canada. The iconic tree is prized for its high quality wood, spectacular autumn foliage, and of course for syrup production.
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Recorded on 6/3/21 in the Quehanna Wilds, by Allyson "sweet sap" Wells.

[@chriszacherl7637]

great lesson on sugar maple. best i’ve found. thank you! 🌟

[@entvisual]

*An amazing tree species* I once saw a Peregrine Falcon nest very top of sugar maple tree!!

[@pagenix9388]

Great video. I'd like to know some other things about it. This one looks taller than I thought they typically get and how dense is the canopy?

[@forestsforthebay4784]

When a forest growing among other trees, sugar maple can get quite tall! If growing in the open they would expend more energy growing out than up, and would likely end up shorter. And the canopy is typically pretty dense, at least for half the year while the leaves are on :)

[@iftikharhusain6286]

Would like to have it in Pakistan

[@themilkweedman]

Keep up the great work!

[@forestsforthebay4784]

Thanks bud, you too!!

[@afeef745]

Thanks so much. Your videos are very helpful and informative. I do have a hard time differentiating sugar maple and red maple. Will remember the differences in bark.

[@onetuliptree]

I wonder if those are Sapsucker holes, I have a Sugar Maple and a sapsucker visits regularly.

[@tatehilliard2141]

Awesome. I'm from southern Ontario and I'm trying to learn a lot more about identifying trees in my area and there seems to be quite a bit of overlapping species with your area which I'm very grateful for since these videos are so informative. Identification books can only go so far! I really like that you mentioned the difference between the norway maple and the sugar - I always get these confused and find that most places I look for identification don't mention enough about similar non-native species.

[@mrknittle532]

Great stuff! I found your channel looking to identify the willows popping up around my pond (Black Willow), and I'm now trying to identify all of the maples on my property in west central Ohio. Could you do a video on the differences between red and silver maples? I'm having a difficult time determining which are which. I have a feeling that all of mine are silver maples, although I have identified one Norway maple, but it's not causing any issues in its location.

[@forestsforthebay4784]

Thanks Brian! We're glad these videos are helpful! Red and silver maple are on our to-do-list but we may not get around to them for a while. So here are some hints until then! Silver maple has deep lobes and a silvery underside to the leaf that's quite distinctive. Red maple lobes are not very deep and they have a red petiole (leaf stem). Silver maple samaras are large, nearly as large as Norway maple, and turn a dusky tan color when ripe. Red maple samaras are smaller and turn red when ripe. Finally, in early spring before leaf out, look at the flowers. Both species have red female flowers, but silver maple male flowers have silvery anthers that are very visible. Hope that helps!!

[@prepperchris1]

great vids anyway you can show maps of where thee trees grow im in n.e tenn and trying to figure out my trees thanks to you i know i have tons and tons of white oak

[@forestsforthebay4784]

great idea, we should try to show range maps in the future!!

[@Repla12481]

Great video. Will a sugar maple tree survive in zone 10a?

[@forestsforthebay4784]

Thank you! Oh boy, I'm not sure if it would do very well that far south. Red maple likely would though!

[@dudleydeplorable5307]

Morel mushrooms loved the Sugar Maples on my granny's property...

[@lrob1616]

Thanks for these videos. I've learned a ton already. You mentioned sugar maple saplings grow well in forest shade - if I were trying to grow saplings in containers, would you still want to create partial shade or does that slow down the growth?

[@sandralee7690]

Beautiful tree! Thanks for sharing & for informing us all on the info of the tree!!!!!

[@mattycroxton]

Thanks for another great video! 🕺

[@forestsforthebay4784]

You're very welcome!!

[@DOLfirst]

Thank you. This has really helped me identify the tree in my back yard.

[@huskylover1013]

i haven't heard "hard maple" "rock maple" around se pa.

[@tonymaurice4157]

Does it grow straight 20 foot plus?

[@forestsforthebay4784]

It can, yes!

[@tonymaurice4157]

@@forestsforthebay4784 I think it would be good for bow staves

[@rustyrushy5844]

Hello. I'm a little bit confused on if the norway maple is the type of maple that produces a white type of sap or if it is the sugar maple. 2:14

[@forestsforthebay4784]

The Norway maple is the one that produces a white sap. I can see the confusion; in this video there is a small white dot that's visible at the base of the sugar maple leaf. If this was a Norway maple, that little dot would turn into a big bubble of the white sap. Hope that helps!

[@hansstepford7824]

For , . , and 1 . 3 black .

[@karlsenula9495]

Disease infestation and predation issues? Do deer eat small Sugar Maples. Are they prone to easy storm damage? Growth rate and habit (upright or rounded?), spacing?