Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum · Sapindaceae (Maple family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Palmately lobed with 5 distinct lobes and deep, U-shaped sinuses
Margin
Entire to sparsely coarsely toothed with rounded sinuses
Arrangement
Opposite
Venation
Palmate venation with five primary veins radiating from the base
Key Features
Opposite simple leaves with 5 palmate lobes, smooth U-shaped sinuses between lobes, and clear sap rather than milky sap when the petiole is broken
Description
The Sugar Maple is a large deciduous tree renowned for its brilliant fall foliage ranging from bright yellow to vibrant orange and red. It features a dense, rounded crown, deeply furrowed dark grey bark on mature trees, and distinctive opposite twigs with sharp, brown, conical buds.
Habitat
Rich, moist, well-drained upland soils in deciduous and mixed forests. Prefers partial to full sun.
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Ontario and Minnesota, and south to Georgia and Texas