21+ Varieties Of Maple Timber (Leaves, Bark) With Photos & Identification

Maple bushes are wanted specimen bushes for a lot of viable causes. When it comes to development, upkeep, and maintenance, they’re drought tolerant and might develop properly in full solar and in shade. On the aesthetic facet, all of us love the autumn colours of maple bushes. Some species would even sport varied autumn colours without delay. 

Everyone knows the signature look of the maple tree leaf however there may be extra to this tree than simply its foliage. There are various kinds of maple bushes and this publish options a number of the greatest maple bushes that you would be able to simply incorporate in your panorama. 

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What does a maple tree appear to be?

Maple bushes belong to the Acer genus. Nearly all of identified maple species are thought-about deciduous which might develop into full-blown bushes with large trunks or as multi-stemmed shrubs. In fact, one may simply acknowledge a maple tree by its lobed, five-point leaves. Its foliage is inexperienced a lot of the yr, but it surely turns into completely different colours come fall. 

Moreover, they sport a darkish bark, reddish-brown twigs, and typically produce winged fruits. A maple tree’s roots are invasive so if the primary {qualifications} match plus they’ve extending roots, down the concrete, and extra, that may be a maple tree. 

What number of varieties of maple bushes are there?

As of writing, there are a minimum of 130 species of maple bushes distributed primarily in Europe, Asia, North America, and Northern Africa. 13 of the most typical species of maple bushes are native to Canada and the remainder of North American states. 

The place do maple bushes develop?

Maple bushes develop properly in zones 3-9. Which means it’s principally grown in cooler climates however on the similar time can even stand up to extra temperate climates. When planted, simply take observe that it might thrive in full solar and partial shade. Some love extra moisture as their pure habitat can be swamped however some don’t tolerate plenty of moisture. 

Maple tree details

Earlier than we get to the main target of this publish that are the varieties of maple tree first via these enjoyable details concerning the tree. 

• It’s an unusual reality, however maple bushes have been across the earth for greater than 100 million years. That implies that they had been already round on the time of the dinosaurs.
• The genus Acer is among the plant genus containing essentially the most variable species in the case of peak. Some develop at simply 8ft whereas the others develop at greater than 120ft. 
• Maple bushes needs to be 30-50 years outdated earlier than they might produce syrups which can be bottled for our consumption.
• They’ve a really lengthy lifespan. The longest dwelling maple tree is 300 years outdated. 
• Maples usually are not simply helpful for his or her syrup. Their wooden is particularly chopped and changed into coal. This coal is used within the distillation technique of Tennessee whiskey.
• Maple wooden is taken into account as a tone wooden or mainly a kind of wooden which carries sound waves. As such, maple tree wooden is utilized in making musical devices. 
• Maple bushes are instrumental within the tourism increase of particular US states and international locations resembling Canada and Japan, amongst others. 
• Planting extra maple bushes is seen by wildlife conservation suppose tanks as among the best options to extend the dwindling variety of honeybees. 
• Maple bushes symbolize steadiness, magic, promise, and longevity due to their capability to resist completely different care circumstances, climates, and places. 

Maple tree identification

So, how do you visually establish a maple tree with its many varieties and cultivars? For this query, we flip to some main traits by way of leaves, bark, maple tree peak and its flowers. 

Leaf

Maple tree leaves, as have been mentioned, have a lobed form and 5 pointed edges. Solely the paperbark and field elder maple bushes have compound leaves, that means that they’ve extra 2-3 leaflets per leaf inventory. Most maple bushes have a fuzzy leaf, however the silver maple has the softest coating on its leaf underside. 

When damaged, they might yield a little bit of milky sap. However you’d know that it’s a sugar maple if it yields plenty of sap and it’s a Norway maple if it doesn’t have any sap in any respect. In the case of serration, all have finely toothed edges, however the pink maple has essentially the most serrated one and it’s form of sharp. 

Bark

The bark of maple bushes is grayish brown at youth and turns into furrowed, darkish brown bark at maturity. There are additionally outstanding grooves in between plates. Nonetheless, this isn’t true for all maple bushes since some have extra refined grooves and fissures and a few have clean barks. 

Peak

Maple bushes are thought-about as one of the various genus in the case of the peak of its species. The smallest decorative maple grows to only 8ft whereas a number of the tallest species are at 120ft and above. 

Flowers

It’s an underrated reality, however maple bushes do bear flowers. Most bloom yellow-green, yellow, or white flowers throughout spring, whereas some come late throughout summer season. Some notable ones just like the silver maple bloom in late winter. 

Oak vs Maple tree

Being two quite common specimen and shade bushes in North America, it may be arduous to tell apart these two in the event you have no idea the place to start wanting. They don’t have many comparable traits however their flashy foliage throughout fall may be the rationale why they’re principally pitted collectively. Listed here are a few of their appreciable variations. 

	Maple	Oak
Taxonomy	Acer	Quercus
Use	Decorative, hedge, and shade treeFor syrup manufacturing	Decorative, shade, lumber
Measurement and peak	8-120+ ft.	20-100+ft.
Bark	Smoother, with grooves and fissures however refined	Tough, thick, and deep fissures and grooves
Roots	Shallow	Deep
Fruit	Samara	Acorn kind with seeds
Leaves	Lobed, with 3 factors and above, serrated or clean	Spirally organized, serrated or clean, rounded
Climatic tolerance	Drought tolerant	Extremely drought tolerant
Illness	Extra prone	Extra hardy in comparison with maple

Each bushes have been round for one million years and have been properly archived to have been utilized in many woodworks and early industries on the earth. Each are used as specimen bushes so it’s as much as you to weigh the professionals and cons of every tree when used for landscaping functions. 

Varieties of maple bushes

As have been mentioned, there are numerous varieties of maple bushes. A few of them are extra acquainted than others however we simply have no idea the identify. Some are uncommon however are exceptional specimen bushes for any panorama or backyard. To know extra of them, listed below are some notable maple tree varieties that it’s best to know of. 

1. Amur Maple (Acer ginnala)

This one is among the smallest maple bushes obtainable. When grown as a shrub, it follows a multi-stem development however as a small tree, anticipate for it to have a rounded and dense crown. It additionally goes by the identify of Siberian maple and is listed as a subspecies of Tatarian maple. 

Its native areas can be Siberia, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. It grows to only 30ft with pink and yellow leaf colours throughout fall. Its hottest cultivars can be the ‘Flame’ and ‘Ember’. It develops drought tolerance as soon as the roots are established. 

2. Huge Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)

As its identify implies, it positive has massive showy leaves. As a matter of reality, it has the biggest leaves of all maple bushes as they lengthen to 12-inches huge and typically bigger. It is usually referred to as the Oregon maple or the broadleaf maple. It is usually identifiable for its massive trunk and furrowed, reddish brown bark. 

Due to its massive shade cowl, it’s planted extensively in nationwide parks and streets. It may develop to a most peak of 100ft, loves full solar and might tolerate partial shade. It’s hardy in zones 5-9 and is tolerant to drought. 

3. Boxelder Maple (Acer Negundo)

The boxelder maple additionally goes by different names together with the Manitoba maple or the ash-leaved maple. It’s a quick grower and typically turns into mature with a number of trunks. It may attain a peak of 80ft, making it extra of a shade tree than a specimen tree. 

The leaves are extra like ivy leaves than maple leaves. They’ve three lobes at youth and grow to be lobeless at maturity. They’re additionally serrated on the edges and switch yellow throughout fall. 

4. Coral Bark maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’)

The Sango-kaku maple or coral bark maple is one other decorative cultivar of the Japanese maple. It’s thought-about as a four-season panorama shrub due to its yellow inexperienced leaves throughout spring, deeper inexperienced at summer season, orange and golden yellow at fall, and leafless, glowing reddish-brown stems throughout winter and turns into a deeper pink hue as winter progresses. 

They’re nice underlayer bushes for landscapes as they develop at simply 20-25ft particularly in a distinction of evergreens. It loves well-draining soils and thrives in full solar to partial shade. It loves moisture and grows at a average charge. 

5. ‘Crimson King’ Norway maple (Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’)

This decorative maple is understood for its flashy deep purple foliage all via summer season which transforms into golden yellow throughout fall. It’s a hardy decorative as it’s each drought and frost-tolerant. As such, it’s generally present in massive estates, nationwide parks, and concrete landscapes. 

Because it grows in between 25-40ft, it may be planted as a shade tree. It has an upright development behavior, forming a dense, rounded crown. It grows in zones 3-7, thrives properly in full to partial solar and might tolerate completely different soil and weather conditions. It additionally has the flexibility to resist lengthy winters. 

6. Freeman Maple (Acer freemanii)

This one may be skilled to develop like a shrub and be planted in city landscapes as a result of its tolerance to completely different qualities of soil, temperature and air high quality or may be grown as a big, deciduous tree with dense and rounded crown. It grows in between 30-60ft in zones 3-8. 

Shrub or tree, it has an exquisite foliage show throughout fall. Its lobed leaves flip from yellow inexperienced to brilliant orange or crimson pink in autumn. It is usually a type of few maple bushes with smooth textured barks and refined furrows. 

7. Hedge Maple/Subject Maple (Acer campestre)

That is the least choosy maple tree in the case of care necessities, making it a match specimen tree for city landscapes.

It tolerates all varieties of soils, can thrive in solar and shade, grows in polluted places and is drought tolerant. And naturally, because the identify implies, it’s a small to medium-sized shrub that’s usually used as hedging. 

Within the fall, the inexperienced leaves flip into fiery yellow. It grows in between 25-35ft and its native location can be throughout Europe and southwest Asia. It thrives in zones 5-8. 

8. Hornbeam Maple (Acer carpinifolium)

You wouldn’t imagine that the hornbeam maple is a maple tree as a result of it doesn’t have the lobed, five-point leaf that the tree is understood for. It has elongated leaves which can be utterly lobeless. As a result of the tree itself resembles the hornbeam tree, this maple was named as such. 

Nonetheless, its yellow inexperienced leaves flip yellow on the first weeks of fall after which remodel once more into brownish gold because the season deepens. It’s a uncommon maple tree, but it surely nonetheless is an exquisite panorama specimen tree rising from 15-30ft. 

9. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

This one is a standard panorama specimen tree. It has one of many maple tree varieties with essentially the most cultivars. They’re liked due to their versatility: they are often left to develop into bushes or may be formed in varied methods in addition to grown in containers. 

Usually, they develop at a peak of 25ft. They love partial shade and well-draining soils. They develop small, but majestic pink maple leaves within the fall, making an autumn visible show. 

10. Laceleaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Garnet’)

This one is a cultivar of the decorative Japanese maple identified for its notable foliage colours. It is usually referred to as the Garnet maple due to its showy, deeply dissected, seven-lobed leaves which can be red-orange-purple. It holds this shade combo the entire summer season after which utterly turns into ruby pink within the fall. 

It is usually an exquisite focus for any panorama due to its dramatic, pendulous rising behavior. It solely grows from 5-10ft. They are often grown as small bushes, shrubs, or container vegetation. It’s, nonetheless, prone to widespread maple tree pests and ailments. 

11. Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)

The Norway maple is a standard scene in nationwide parks, streets and in entrance of properties due to their enormity. It is among the hardest maples on the market, having the ability to stand up to very excessive site visitors areas in addition to lengthy winters and droughts. It may additionally thrive properly in soils with excessive salt and acid content material. 

Norway maples love full solar and partial shade. They thrive extensively in zones 4-7 at a peak of 50ft. Should you intend to have them to your panorama, greatest plant them removed from the house’s construction because the roots are very sturdy and invasive. You’d love its pink, orange and yellow colours throughout fall. 

12. October glory maple (Acer rubrum ‘October Glory‘)

This one is a decorative number of maple bushes. It’s a cultivar of the pink maple and greatest thrives in temperate to hotter climates. It blooms pink flowers in spring and bears small fruits thereafter. The seeds of its fruits are essential sources of meals for wildlife. 

It’s a quick grower and reaches 40-50ft in peak. As a decorative maple tree, it affords a visible show of pink, orange, and yellow leaves all on the similar time in a single tree throughout fall. It’s barely drought tolerant and may be prone to widespread tree pests and ailments. 

13. Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum)

This one will get its identify from its brown copper bark and branches that peel year-round. It’s a stunning specimen tree that grows as much as 25ft. It sometimes grows a multi-stem shrub, however it may be skilled to develop at a single stem. The leaves are brilliant inexperienced most instances of the yr however throughout fall, it turns into brilliant pink. 

In comparison with different maple bushes, it’s not drought tolerant, needing extra frequent watering. It can’t tolerate poor high quality soils too so just be sure you get the best potting combine in the event you want to develop this one in containers. 

14. Purple Maple (Acer rubrum)

The pink maple is taken into account as one of the heat local weather hardy maple bushes on the market because it thrives in zones 3-9. It’s a quick grower, and it may attain a peak of 75ft. It’s a good panorama tree due to its commendable shade attain. Nonetheless, it has invasive roots so plant it as removed from the home. 

The leaves of the pink maple flip into brilliant pink and orange two weeks earlier than fall. As such, they’re the signifiers that fall is coming. It isn’t picky in the case of soil circumstances. Its predominant draw back nonetheless, can be its susceptibility to a variety of maple tree pests and ailments. 

15. Shirasawa’s Maple/Fullmoon maple (Acer shirasawanum)

It additionally goes by the identify full moon maple, and it’s a shrub native to Japan. It’s usually related to the amur maple too due to its excessive decorative worth. It grows in between 20-30ft and its most notable attribute can be its 9-13-lobed leaves with serrated edges and rounded form. 

Its leaves additionally supply a full visible show throughout fall. Its yellow inexperienced leaves flip into golden orange and deepens into fiery pink because the season progresses. 

16. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)

This one shares a robust resemblance with the willow tree, making it an exquisite, dramatic, specimen tree. It loves plenty of moisture so you’d discover this maple tree alongside ponds, creeks, and riverbanks.

It has the signature five-point leaf of the maple that’s silvery inexperienced more often than not however turns into fiery yellow throughout fall. 

It grows excessive at 70ft and thrives in zones 3-9. Nonetheless, it’s not a go-to selection for landscapes due to its shallow, invasive roots and since it is vitally prone to pests and ailments. 

17. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

This maple tree is accountable for the manufacturing of maple syrups around the globe. However past its contribution to the world financial system, you’d additionally not wish to miss its stunning autumn colours of pink, yellow, and orange.

It is usually thought-about as one of many tallest maple bushes because it grows to a peak of 120ft and 50ft huge. 

As panorama bushes, they work properly as shade bushes or as a panorama fence or display screen. It loves full solar, well-drained soils, and frequent watering throughout dry seasons. 

18. Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)

It’s named as such as a result of its leaves resemble the leaves of the sycamore tree greater than the signature maple leaf. Just like the hedge maple, that is additionally match for city landscapes because it may tolerate air pollution, poor high quality soils, and can be drought tolerant.

When it comes to look, it’s a large maple tree because it grows in between 40-100ft. It has a dense, rounded crown, with subtly lobed leaves that flip into bronze throughout fall. It’s extra fashionable as a shade tree than a specimen tree to your panorama. 

19. Tatarian Maple (Acer tataricum)

The Tatarian maple is the mom species of the Amur maple. It’s possible you’ll choose to not prune it to grow to be a multi-stemmed shrub or to prune it to be skilled to develop as an upright tree. At youth, its leaves solely have three lobes and because it involves age, they might grow to be completely lobeless. 

Within the spring, it blooms odorless, white flowers after which adopted by pink fruits. The leaves flip into fiery yellow or brilliant pink throughout fall. It grows to only 10-20ft and thrives in zones 3-8. 

20. Three Flowered Maple (Acer triflorum)

This one is one other decorative maple that’s distinguishable for its ash brown, flaking bark revealing layers of vertical strips and an internal copper-brown coloured wooden. Its trifoliate leaves have a silver-blue-green shade a lot of the yr and switch into brilliant pink, orange, and tinges of yellow within the fall. The leaves all shed throughout winter. 

It’s referred to as such as a result of its yellow-green flowers seem in clusters of three throughout spring. It’s straightforward to develop and low upkeep however may be prone to widespread pests and ailments. It grows in between 20-30ft and is a favourite specimen tree for landscapes. 

21. Vine Leaf Maple (Acer cissifolium)

It will get its identify from its trifoliate leaves which implies that they’ve three elements. It doesn’t have the identical maple leaf look. As a matter of reality, the leaves would resonate with the leaves of ash bushes or ivies. Therefore, it is usually referred to as the ivy leaf maple. 

As for its look, it’s shut in look with the Japanese maple and can be used extensively for decorative functions within the panorama. It grows in between 15-30ft and its leaves supply a visible show of yellow and pink shades at fall. It’s native to Japan and thrives in partial shade. 

What are the most typical North American maple bushes? 

Since 13 of species of maple bushes are native to North America, it’s correct to know which amongst these 13 are nonetheless properly endemic within the area. The 5 commonest maple bushes that stay properly distributed in North America can be: sugar maple, pink maple, silver maple, bigleaf maple and boxelder maple. 

Why is the maple leaf essential to Canada? 

There is no such thing as a related people story that hyperlinks maple leaf to Canada, but it surely has been used as a nationwide emblem because the 1700s. The earliest historic archival that hyperlinks the maple to the Canadians can be using maple tree sap by Canadian aborigines for medicinal functions. Apart from that, the entire tree was additionally famous as a steady meals supply for aboriginal tribes again within the day. 

Now, the maple leaf is a robust emblem to indicate Canada’s identification. For a few years, the tune ‘Maple Leaf Without end’ was Canada’s nationwide anthem, and the maple leaf is utilized by the Canadian navy as their official image. It is usually seen in lots of provincial coat of arms throughout Canada. 

Conclusion

In case you are contemplating rising a maple tree anytime quickly, there are particular components that you have to keep in mind. One can be the placement. Most of them have an invasive root system so you probably have a big perimeter, that may not be an issue. Additionally be certain that they solely develop in well-draining soils and that the best pH degree is there in addition to correct moisture. 

However with all issues thought-about, maple bushes are a visible catch for any panorama. The brilliant coloured leaves throughout fall is one factor, however its sturdy, majestic construct can be a view to be reckoned with.

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