Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum · Sapindaceae (Soapberry family, traditionally placed in Aceraceae)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Palmate, 5-lobed with rounded sinuses
Margin
Entire to sparsely and coarsely toothed lobes
Arrangement
Opposite
Venation
Palmate venation with five primary veins radiating from the base
Key Features
Opposite leaf arrangement, 5-lobed leaves with U-shaped (rounded) sinuses, and U-shaped leaf scars on twigs
Description
The Sugar Maple is a large, majestic deciduous tree known for its dense canopy, spectacular autumn foliage, and high-quality sap used to make maple syrup. The bark is smooth and grey on young trees, becoming deeply furrowed and ridged with age.
Habitat
Rich, moist, well-drained soils in deciduous and mixed hardwood forests
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas