Acer saccharinum L.

Silver Maple

Kingdom Plantae – Plants Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plantsSuperdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plantsDivision Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class Magnoliopsida – DicotyledonsSubclass Rosidae Order Sapindales Family Aceraceae – Maple family Genus Acer L. – maple Species Acer saccharinum L. – silver

maple

Classification

Can be a large tree….over 100ftTrunk is shortDivides into sub-trunks Long slender branches go downward but then

curve up

Shape, Form, Type

FIGURE 1

Light gray smooth when young when older breaks up into long thin strips,

loose at ends. Similar to red maple but coarser.

Bark

FIGURE 2

stoutChestnut brown color,Gross smell when crushed buds reddish brown with large scales, flower

buds often in conspicuous dense clusters.

TwigFIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

Opposite 5 deeply palmate sinuseslobe margins coarsely serrate 2 1/2 to 5 inches long light green above, pale, silvery white below.

Leaf

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6

buds reddish brown with large scalesflower buds often in clusters.

Bud

FIGURE 7

greenish and reddish flowers appear in dense clusters in early spring long

before leaves.

Flower

FIGURE 8FIGURE 9

Samara, which is the largest of any native maple

divergent wings 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long germinate as soon as released, mature in late

spring.

Fruit

FIGURE 10FIGURE 11

Acer saccharinum trees are common in the Midwest.

The Silver maples are generally the first trees to flower in the Midwest

Habitat and Range

FIGURE 12

furniture and flooring. Bowling alleys and bowling pins are both

manufactured from sugar mapleMaple is also the wood used for basketball

courts, including the floors used by the NBA, and it is a popular wood for baseball bats

It is also widely used in the production of musical instruments, such as the members of the violin family, guitars and drum shells.

UsesFIGURE 13

Text citation:Tree tropics. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.treetopics.com/rhus_glabra/gallery1.htmVanderbilt. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/rhgl.htm Virginia tech. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=80

Illionois wild flowers. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/sm_sumac.htm

Usda plant. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACSA2

References

Figures 1-11: Virginia tech. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=80

Figure 12:Usda plant. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACSA2