Acer saccharinum, commonly known as听silver maple,听creek maple,听silverleaf maple,听soft maple,听large maple,听water maple,听swamp maple,听or听white maple,听is a species of听听native to the eastern and central听听and southeastern听.听It is one of the most common trees in the听.
Although the silver maple's听听name is similar, it should not be confused with听, the sugar maple. Some of the common names are also applied to other maples, especially听.
Description
The silver maple tree is a relatively fast-growing 听, commonly reaching a height of 15鈥�25听m (49鈥�82听ft), exceptionally 35听m (115听ft). Its spread will generally be 11鈥�15听m (36鈥�49听ft) wide. A 10-year-old sapling will stand about 8听m (26听ft) tall. It is often found along waterways and in wetlands, leading to the colloquial name "water maple". It is a highly adaptable tree, although it has higher sunlight requirements than other maple trees. The听听are听听and palmately veined,听8鈥�16听cm (3+1鈦�4鈥�6+1鈦�4听in) long and听6鈥�12听cm (2+1鈦�4鈥�4+3鈦�4听in) broad, with deep angular notches between the five lobes. The听5鈥�12听cm (2鈥�4+3鈦�4听in) long, slender stalks of the leaves mean that even a light breeze can produce a striking effect as the downy silver undersides of the leaves are exposed. The autumn color is less pronounced than in many maples, generally ending up a pale yellow, although some specimens can produce a more brilliant yellow and even orange and red colorations. The tree has a tendency to color and drop its leaves slightly earlier in autumn than other maples.
The 听are in dense clusters, produced before the leaves in early spring,听with the听听maturing in early summer. The fruit is a听听of two single-seeded, winged听. The wing of each samara is about听3鈥�5听cm (1+1鈦�4鈥�2听in) long. The fruit of this species is the largest among the maples native to its range. Although the wings provide for some transport by air, the fruit are heavy and are also transported by water. Silver maple and its close cousin听听are the only听Acer听species which produce their fruit crop in spring instead of fall. The seeds of both trees have no听听and will germinate immediately. Seed production begins at 11 years of age and large crops are produced most years. Like most maples, silver maple can be variably dioecious (separate male or female trees) or monoecious (male and female flowers on the same tree) but dioecious trees are far more common. They can also change sex from year to year.[]
On mature trunks, the bark is gray and shaggy. On branches and young trunks, the bark is smooth and silvery gray.[]
Cultivation and uses
Wildlife uses the silver maple in various ways. In many parts of the eastern U.S., the large rounded buds are one of the primary food sources for 听during the spring, after many acorns and nuts have sprouted and the squirrels' food is scarce. The seeds are also a food source for听听and birds. The bark can be eaten by听听and听. The trunks tend to produce cavities, which can shelter squirrels,听,听,听听and听, and are frequented by听.听Additionally, the leaves serve as a source of food for species of听, such as the rosy maple moth ().
The wood can be used as听听for making paper.听Lumber from the tree is used in furniture, cabinets, flooring, musical instruments, crates, and tool handles, because it is light and easily worked. Because of the silver maple's fast growth, it is being researched as a potential source of听.听Silver maple produces a sweet sap but it is generally not used by commercial sugarmakers because its sugar content is lower than in other maple species.
Silver maple is often planted as an听听because of its rapid growth and ease of propagation and transplanting. It is highly tolerant of urban situations and is frequently planted next to streets. However, its quick growth produces brittle wood which is commonly damaged in storms. The silver maple's root system is shallow and fibrous and easily invades septic fields and old drain pipes; it can also crack sidewalks and foundations. It is a vigorous resprouter, and if not pruned, will often grow with multiple trunks. Although it naturally is found near water, it can grow on drier ground if planted there. In ideal natural conditions,听A. saccharinum听may live up to 130 years but in urban environments often 80 or less.[]
Following听, silver maples were commonly used as a landscaping and street tree in suburban housing developments and cities due to their rapid growth, especially as a replacement for the blighted听. However, they fell out of favor for this purpose because of brittle wood, unattractive form when not pruned or trained, and tendency to produce large numbers of volunteer seedlings. Today the tree has fallen so far out of favor that some towns and cities have banned its use as a street tree.
Silver maple's natural range encompasses most of the eastern US, the Midwestern US and southern Canada, that being 蜜桃av Ontario and southwestern Quebec. It is generally absent from the humid US coastal plain south of Maryland, so it is confined to the Appalachians in those states. It does not occur along the Gulf Coast or in Florida outside a few scattered locations in the panhandle.
It is commonly cultivated outside its native range, showing tolerance of a wide range of climates, and growing successfully as far north as central听. It also is in听.听It can thrive in a听, as at听听and听, if summer water is provided. It is also grown in temperate parts of the听:听,听,听, the听听(and in a few low-temperature locations within the states of听听and听).[]
The silver maple is closely related to the听听() and can hybridise with it. The听听is known as the Freeman maple (). The Freeman maple is a popular ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, combining the fast growth of silver maple with the less brittle wood, less invasive roots, and the beautiful bright red fall foliage of the red maple. The听听Acer 脳 freemanii听Autumn Blaze听= 'Jeffersred'听has gained the听's听.
The silver maple is the favored听听of the maple bladder gall mite听.
Native American听
听used the sap of wild trees to make听, as medicine, and in bread. They used the wood to make baskets and furniture.听An听听of bark removed from the south side of the tree is used by the听听as cough medicine.听The听听take an infusion of the bark to treat cramps, menstrual pains,听, and hives.听They boil the inner bark and use it with water as a wash for sore eyes. They take a hot infusion of the bark to treat听. They use the tree to make baskets, for lumber, building material, and for carving.
