Acer saccharum
Sugar Maple, Rock Maple, or Hard Maple
Mature Size, Growth, Longevity
Average mature size of 60-75' tall and 40-50' wide, potentially to 100-200' tall in optimal conditions. Upright-oval to rounded growth habit. Sometimes pyramidal in youth. Growth rate is slow, possibly medium in youth. Medium lifespan, 75-150 years, occasionally to 200.
Native Range
Kentucky Native — Species native to eastern Canada, south to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. Introduced in 1753.
Flower and Fruit Details
Flowers are apetalous, greenish-yellow, inconspicuous, perfect, with 5 sepals, 0.20-0.25" wide, blooming 3-4 weeks in March/April before the leaves emerge. Borne on pendulous, hairy, 1-3" pedicels. Fruits are winged samaras, in U-shaped pairs, reddish-brown, 1-1.75" long, maturing September-October.
Leaf and Bark Features
Deciduous: Leaves opposite and simple, 3-6" long and broad, 5 (sometimes 3) long-pointed lobes with wavy or coarsely toothed edges; dark green and hairless above, with a pale-green to gray-green and softly pubescent underside. Petiole 1.5-4.5" long. Dense foliage. Fall color ranges from brilliant yellow to burnt orange to some deep red tones. Bark is smooth gray-brown when young, becomes deeply furrowed with long irregular ridges, or with thick plates, or scaly with age, becoming brownish-black, with major limbs turning black.
Culture and Care
Prefers well-drained, moderately moist, fertile, slightly acid to alkaline soil in sun to shade. Transplant balled and burlapped, or can be grown from seed. Zones 4-8, but not extremely heat tolerant in the southern states. Not salt or flood tolerant. Avoid excessive heat and drought. Mulch to keep roots moist. Tolerates pH 6.0-7.5. Do not allow girdling roots to form. Tolerates clay, but avoid soil compaction No serious disease or insect problems, but leaf scorch can be caused by excessive drought. Susceptible to verticillium wilt.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts
An outstanding native tree, unexcelled for fall color. Very strong branches. Good wildlife value. 3-season interest: Spring, Summer and Fall. Not a good plant for planter boxes, small tree lawns, tight, restricted, crowded or polluted growing areas or conditions. Don't use near roads where de-icing salts are used. Leaves may scorch during dry years.
Suggested Uses
Commonly used as a shade tree. Excellent for lawns, parks and golf courses.
Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA
The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.
Acer saccharum 'Green Mountain' // Green Mountain Sugar Maple
Tree. Upright-oval to broadly-pyramidal crown, with an average size of 40-70' tall and 30-45' wide. Fairly slow grower. Dark green, leathery foliage, changing to yellow, orange, yellow-red or scarlet. Probable hybrid of Sugar Maple and Black Maple. Young plants may scorch in extreme heat/drought. Due to better heat tolerance as it ages, performs better in dry or restricted growing areas in the long term than the straight species. Introduced by Princeton Nurseries in New Jersey in 1964, plant patent 2339.
BT001906 - BT002610 - BT002620 - BT002630Acer saccharum 'Reba' // Belle Tower® Maple, Belle Tower® Sugar Maple
Tree. Narrow, upright-oval habit, to 45' tall, but only 18' wide. Bright green summer foliage turns orange-yellow in the fall. Well-adapted to the heat and humidity of the South. Summer foliage stays fresh and bright green, not scorching in extreme heat. Resistant to Japanese Beetles. Zones 5(4)-8. Introduced in 2007 through Schmidt Nursery. Selected in Tennessee and tested in Alabama.
BT001786 - BT001821 - BT001822Acer saccharum 'Shawnee' // Shawnee Sugar Maple, Shawnee Dwarf Sugar Maple
Tree. Grown from a witches broom of a sugar maple. This is a slow-growing dwarf form, growing very dense and compact, with a rounded habit. A very old plant may be only 20-25' tall and wide. Good yellow-orange fall color. Could be used as an accent plant or specimen plant. Hybridized by Theodore Klein, and introduced in 1978.
-- not currently in our collection --Acer saccharum subsp. leucoderme // Chalkbark Maple, Whitebark Maple, Chalk Maple
Tree. Avg. size is 25-30' tall and 20' wide - quite small for a sugar maple - but can reach 60' X 30' in optimal conditions. Oval to rounded crown, and often multi-stemmed. Upper part of trunk has pale gray to chalky white bark. Leaves are green, both sides, very pubescent, with a 1-3" glabrous petiole. Leaves develop great yellow-orange to deep red fall color. Samara wings 1-1.25", spreading at a 60 degree angle. Pest free, with excellent heat tolerance. Native plant in the drier, upland woods in the SE to OK & TX. Zones 5-9.
BT008790