NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details
Acer saccharum
Northern Sugar Maple, Hard Maple, Sugar Tree
Scientific Name: |
Acer saccharum |
---|---|
Genus: |
Acer |
Species Epithet: |
saccharum |
Common Name: |
Northern Sugar Maple, Hard Maple, Sugar Tree |
Life Cycle |
Perennial |
Plant Family |
Sapindaceae (Soapberry Family) |
Native/Alien: |
NC Native |
Invasive Status: |
(*Key) |
Size: |
36-72 ft., 72-100 ft. |
Bloom Color(s): |
Yellow, Green |
Light: |
Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day |
Soil Moisture: |
Dry, Moist |
Bloom Time: |
April, May, June |
Growing Area: |
Mountains, Piedmont |
Habitat Description: |
Cove forests, other rich forests, especially over mafic and calcareous rocks, on calcareous soils common and typical in dry-mesic forests and dry woodlands as well, less typically extending to high elevation northern hardwood forests where sometimes in acidic situations (as in Highlands County, VA), in parts of the Piedmont perhaps more common as an introduction by ornamental planting than as a native, at least south of VA. Rare in NC mountains and piedmont. |
Leaf Arrangement: |
Opposite |
Leaf Retention: |
Deciduous |
Leaf Type: |
Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like |
Leaf Form: |
Simple |
Life Cycle: |
Perennial |
Wildlife Value: |
Important for Wildlife |
Landscape Value: |
Suitable for home landscapes |
State Rank: |
S5: Secure (*Key) |
Global Rank: |
G5 - Secure (*Key) |
Notes: |
Less heat-tolerant than Southern Sugar Maple (Acer floridanum). |
No Pictures Yet - Submit One! | |
Links: |
NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-saccharum/ Go Botany: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/acer/saccharum/ Vascular Flora of NC: https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/plant_list.php [type Acer saccharum in the Scientific Name box, then click on the Search button] 700 Bird-friendly Plants for NC: https://nc.audubon.org/700 |
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