Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum · Sapindaceae (Soapberry family, which includes the maple subfamily)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf with deep palmately lobed structure
Shape
Palmate with five deeply separated lobes and characteristically sharp, angular sinuses between them
Margin
Coarsely and sharply serrate, with double-toothed margins along the prominent lobes
Arrangement
Opposite arrangement on twigs, typical of all maples
Venation
Palmate venation radiating outward from the base with prominent veins extending into each of the five main lobes
Key Features
Deeply incised, five-lobed leaves with sharply toothed margins and a starkly contrasting silvery-white underside, paired with opposite branching and U-shaped leaf sinuses
Description
The Silver Maple is a fast-growing deciduous tree known for its delicate, deeply cut leaves that flash a brilliant silvery underside in the wind. The tree features an open, spreading crown, grayish flaky bark on mature trunks, and produces winged samaras in early spring before leaf-out.
Habitat
Typically found along the banks of streams, rivers, floodplains, and wetland borders, thriving in moist soils and full sun to partial shade
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, stretching from southern Canada down to Florida, and widely planted as an urban shade tree across temperate regions