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 typically 5 lobes, featuring shallow to moderately deep, U-shaped sinuses
Margin
Entirely to sparsely serrate/toothed along the margins of the lobes
Arrangement
Opposite arrangement on the twig
Venation
Palmate venation with five primary veins radiating outward from the base of the leaf blade, with prominent midribs and reticulate secondary veins
Key Features
Opposite leaf arrangement, 5-lobed leaves with U-shaped (rounded) sinuses between lobes, entire or very sparsely toothed margins, and smooth, pointed lobe tips
Description
The Sugar Maple is a magnificent deciduous tree renowned for its brilliant autumn foliage and for being the primary source of maple syrup. It features a dense, oval-to-rounded crown, dark grey furrowed bark, and produces paired winged seeds known as samaras.
Habitat
Rich, moist, well-drained soils of deciduous and mixed hardwood forests, often found in valleys, ravines, and northern slopes
Native Range
Native to eastern and Midwestern North America, stretching from Nova Scotia west to Ontario and Minnesota, and south to Texas and Georgia
Notes
Northern Minnesota