Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum · Sapindaceae (Soapberry and Maple family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Palmate with 5 lobes
Margin
Entire to coarsely toothed with shallow, rounded sinuses
Arrangement
Opposite
Venation
Palmate venation with five primary veins radiating from the base
Key Features
Opposite branching, 5-lobed leaves with U-shaped (rounded) sinuses between lobes, and smooth margins compared to the pointed teeth of the similar Norway maple.
Description
The Sugar Maple is a majestic deciduous tree renowned for its brilliant fall foliage and as the primary source of maple syrup. It features a dense, rounded crown, deeply furrowed grey bark on mature trees, and distinctive opposite branches holding broad, palmately lobed leaves.
Habitat
Rich, moist, well-drained upland soils in deciduous and mixed forests.
Native Range
Native to hardwood forests of northeastern and north-central North America, extending from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, and south to Texas.