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Native Trees of Prince Edward IslandSugar maple (Acer saccharum)
Description:
Perhaps our most beautiful native tree, it reaches a height of 80 ft. (25 m) and can be 3 ft. (1 m) or more in diameter. Sugar maples usually grow tall and straight in the forest, while when grown in the open they are shorter and more heavily branched. The leaf is the emblem on the Canadian flag, sharp-pointed with rounded notches. Buds are opposite, reddish- brown and sharp. Sugar maples produce a brilliant array of red, scarlet, orange and bright yellow fall colours.
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) leaf.
Growing Conditions:
Best growth is made in rich, well-drained soil and with light shading. It grows mainly in mixed stands with American beech, yellow birch, eastern white pine, red spruce and eastern hemlock and is a key component of our climax Acadian forest.
Propagation:
Seed should be collected from the tree if possible, or from the ground if the tree cannot be climbed. Seed production is unpredictable there is little available some years. Consider collecting extra during a heavy seed year and storing the seeds in a dry place for future planting. The winged parts of the samara should be dry before picking and some should have already started to fall from the tree. In each paired samara, only one seed is viable. Germination can be poor, so plant more than you think you might need. Plant individual samaras 1 in. (2.5 cm) apart, in rows 6 in. (15 cm) apart, at a depth of 1/4 in. (6 mm). Mulch the area over the winter removing most of this in the late spring. Provide seedlings with light shade during the growing season. After planting out, check seedlings regularly and prune when necessary to maintain a strong central leader.
Sugar Maple seeds.
Wildlife Uses:
Seeds of the sugar maple are eaten by grosbeaks and other species of birds. The trees are also extremely important as nesting sites for a wide variety of birds and mammals, and the young plants are often browsed by snowshoe hare.
Areas of Usage:
Sugar maple is one of our best woods for furniture and instrument making, being the source of bird's eye and flamed maple. It is used for veneer, plywood and vehicle stock. Maple syrup and sugar are made from the sap. In forest plantings, it works well in thinnings and even in gaps in old field White Spruce. It is valuable as a landscape specimen throughout the year, especially for its fall colours.
Sugar Maple leaf in fall.
For more pictures and descriptions of this species, check out the Atlantic Forestry Centre, the CFS N.B. Trees Page, and the Virtual Foliage Homepage. For a through review of the ecology, refer to the Silvics of North America
In 1806, John Stewart wrote an excellent description of Forest Trees and Other Vegetable Productions on PEI at that time.
Sugar maple typical tree form.
Sugar maple leaf.
Sugar maple twig.
Read more here.
We offer a number of workshops and guided tours at the Macphail Woods and it is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the native trees of Prince Edward Island. Check out the Events Calendar for more information. Web development and maintenance by Chris Martin.
