#MAPLE TREE TYPES IDENTIFICATION HOW TO#

Maple tree fruit How to Identify maple trees by their leaves The distinctive winged fruits are called samaras or helicopter seeds and contain a pair of seeds attached to a “wing” that carries the seed a long distance when it’s windy. Maple tree fruit looks like small wing-shaped leaves.

By observing these features, you can confidently recognize and identify maple trees. When examining the bark, take note of its initial smooth and gray appearance, which gradually develops into distinctive fissures and furrows over time. Maple trees typically have leaves with pointed lobes and noticeable deep indentations between them. To accurately identify maple trees, focus on their distinguishing characteristics such as leaves, bark, and fruit. Also, some maple tree species have smoother bark than others. Some species of maple trees have fewer furrows and less-pronounced fissures. Maple bark has wide strips running vertically up and down the trunk, separated by narrow grooves between the plates. Maple tree bark turns a dark brown color as the tree matures. sycamore leavesĪ close up picture of mature maple tree bark The foliage of certain maple species can have multiple colors simultaneously, ranging from vibrant yellow to rich red wine shades. Maple tree leaves undergo a remarkable transformation in the fall, displaying stunning hues of red, yellow, orange, and dark burgundy. In addition, red maple leaves differ from sugar maples with their serrated margins and less pronounced depth of indentation between the lobes.

The sugar maple leaves exhibit U-shaped indentations between the lobes, while red maple leaves display shallow V-shaped indentations. These distinctions in leaf characteristics allow for differentiation between the two species. However, when comparing sugar maples to silver maples, you’ll observe that silver maple leaves have deeper indentations compared to sugar maple leaves. The number of lobes, the serration of the leaf margins, the depth of indentations, and the overall leaf shape all play a role in identifying specific maple species.įor instance, the sugar maple leaf is known for its five serrated lobes. These broad leaves also display prominent veins, with many of them featuring serrated lobes. Maple tree leaves are characterized by their lobed structure, typically having between three and nine lobes. Maple leaf shape is the prominent way to help identify the type of maple tree The maple leaves are said to symbolize strength and endurance. A single stylized maple leaf with 11 points and deep indentations features prominently in the Canadian flag. The striking maple leaf-especially from the sugar maple tree-is undoubtedly the tree’s most recognizable feature. The unique and decorative wood grain of maple makes it a popular choice for creating exquisite furniture pieces. Maple wood, a hardwood variety, is utilized in crafting baseball bats, bowling pins, pool cue shafts, and hardwood flooring. In addition to their culinary value, maple trees are prized for their quality timber. While syrup can be made from any maple tree, it is the sugar maple tree (Acer saccharum) that yields the highest-quality syrup.

Maple trees are renowned for producing the famous sweet maple syrup, extracted from the sap. Other popular varieties of maple trees for gardens are the Amur Maple ( Acer ginnala), Big Leaf Maple ( Acer macrophyllum), and the Hedge Maple tree ( Acer campestre). The two most common maples are the sugar maple ( Acer saccharum) and the red maple ( Acer rubrum). There are about 128 species of maple trees in the Acer plant genus. The ornamental maple tree provides stunning autumn color and there are many types to suit every garden

Maple tree types identification