Silver Maple

Latin Name: Acer saccarinum

Facts about Silver Maple:

• Height: 15 to 35 meters, Spread: 11 to 15 meters wide

• Sun Exposure: Slightly shade tolerant, but prefers full sun

• Soil: Prefers moist, rich soil Location: Central/Southern Ontario

• Looks Like:

  • In autumn, leaves generally turn pale yellow or brown

  • Bark is smooth and gray when young, becoming darker brown and “shaggy” when mature

  • Fast growth compared to other maples

  • Seeds found in “keys” dispersed in late spring

Biodiversity Benefits

• Silver maple are beneficial to wildlife in numerous ways. Seeds provide a food source for squirrels, chipmunks and birds, while bark is eaten by deer and beavers.

• The trunks sometimes have hollow cavities, which provide shelter to squirrels, owls, woodpeckers, opossums and raccoons.

Historical Use:

• Native Americans also had many uses for this tree, including to make sugar, bread and medicine.

• Lumber from the tree is used in furniture, flooring, crates and even musical instruments because it is light and easily worked. It has been noted as a potential source for biofuels because of it’s fast growth