Part 5

Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 6 inches long, nearly as broad, palmately 3- to 5-lobed, the edges of the leaves toothed, green and somewhat hairy on the upper surface, densely white-hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks stout, densely hairy, up to 4 inches long.

Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the same tree, in dense red clusters, opening before the leaves begin to unfold.

Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of an erect wing with a seed at the base, bright red, over 1 inch long.

Wood: Heavy, coarse-grained, light brown.

Use: Furniture.

Habitat: Wooded swamps.

Range: New Jersey across to Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.

Distinguishing Features: The Swamp Red Maple is distinguished from the Red Maple by the dense coat of white hairs on the undersurface of the leaves and by the longer fruits.

SILVER MAPLE Acer saccharinum L.

Other Name: Soft Maple.

Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 5 feet; crown usually broadly rounded.

Bark: Gray or silvery, smooth at first, becoming loose and scaly or even somewhat shaggy when old.

Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, smooth, often curving upward; leaf scars opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle traces.

Buds: More or less rounded, reddish-brown, smooth to finely hairy, up to ⅛ inch long.

Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 8 inches long, nearly as broad, deeply palmately 5-lobed, the edges of the leaves sharply toothed, pale green and smooth on the upper surface, silvery-white and usually smooth on the lower surface, except in the leaf axils; leafstalks smooth, up to 5 inches long, often reddish.

Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the same tree, in dense clusters, greenish-yellow, opening in February and March before the leaves begin to unfold.

Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of a curved wing with a seed at the base, green or yellow, up to 3 inches long.

Wood: Hard, close-grained, pale brown.

Uses: Furniture; sometimes grown as an ornamental, but the branchlets are brittle.

Habitat: Wet soil.

Range: New Brunswick across to Minnesota and South Dakota, south to Oklahoma, Texas, east to northern Florida.

Distinguishing Features: The deeply lobed leaves which are silvery-white on the flower surface best distinguish this tree.

SUGAR MAPLE Acer saccharum Marsh.

Other Name: Hard Maple.

Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown broadly rounded, with many branches.

Bark: Gray to dark brown to black, becoming furrowed and scaly.

Twigs: Slender, smooth, brown, often with pale lenticels; leaf scars opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle traces.

Buds: Pointed, dark brown, smooth or a little hairy, shiny, up to ¼ inch long.