Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum · Sapindaceae (Soapberry family, traditionally placed in Aceraceae)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf
Shape
Palmate with 5 distinct lobes
Margin
Palmate lobes with coarsely toothed (serrate/dentate) edges and deep, U-shaped sinuses
Arrangement
Opposite arrangement on the twig
Venation
Palmate venation radiating from the base with prominent yellowish veins
Key Features
Opposite leaf arrangement, 5-lobed leaves with U-shaped sinuses and sharp-pointed teeth, smooth gray bark on young trees becoming deeply furrowed on older specimens
Description
The Sugar Maple is a magnificent deciduous tree renowned for its brilliant autumn foliage and for being the primary source of maple syrup. The leaves are characteristically five-lobed with smooth sinuses between the sharply pointed teeth.
Habitat
Rich, moist, well-drained deciduous forests, thriving in slightly acidic to neutral soils in cool, temperate climates
Native Range
Native to northeastern and north-central North America, extending from Nova Scotia west to Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas