Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Malvids: Sapindales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Acer saccharinum
FAMILY
Sapindaceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
You may also want to check Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina
Read more about Silver Maple at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Acer saccharinum
FAMILY
Aceraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 115-01-005:
Acer saccharinum
FAMILY
Aceraceae
COMMON NAME:
Silver Maple, Soft Maple
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_acsa2_001_lvd
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JK Marlow jkm110316_989
March Greenville County SC
Samara wing is coarse, 3-5.5cm long; body is thick, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
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JK Marlow jkm110316_993
March Greenville County SC
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JK Marlow jkm110316_994
March Greenville County SC
At 1.75", the largest wings of any native maple, per The Sibley Guide to Trees.
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Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_a_saccharinum_8
March Floyd County GA
Coosa River Nature Center
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JK Marlow jkm0504c_17
April Greenville County SC
Roadside
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JK Marlow jkm0405r_33
May Greenville County SC
Roadside
Leaves slightly larger than Red Maple, deeply 5-lobed and long-pointed, per The Native Maples of Georgia. Tipularia (Ware, 2003).
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JK Marlow s040517_d
May Greenville County SC
Roadside
Sinuses V-shaped; margins irregularly double-toothed, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide.
)
JK Marlow s040517_e
May Greenville County SC
Roadside
Silvery undersides of the leaves are obvious in windy conditions, per Weakley's Flora.
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Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_acer_saccharinum_3
June
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Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_acer_saccharinum
August
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JK Marlow s041204_a
December Greenville County SC
Roadside
The middle lobe of most leaves narrows towards its base, per Trees of the Southeastern United States.
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JK Marlow s041204_b
December Greenville County SC
Roadside
Fall color usually a pale chalky yellow, per The Sibley Guide to Trees.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Acer saccharinum
FAMILY
Sapindaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Acer saccharinum
FAMILY
Aceraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 115-01-005:
Acer saccharinum
FAMILY
Aceraceae
15
Tree
Perennial
Monoecious or dioecious
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Uncommon (south of NC, more often an escape from cultivation than a native)
Look for it in bottomlands, on riverbanks, and disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
...Wet
...Moist
...Dry
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Opposite
FLOWER:
Spring
Greenish-yellow/ Red
Unisexual
Radially symmetrical
5 sepals
Petals absent
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Schizocarp composed of two 1-seeded samaras
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Landscaping with Native Trees p041
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide p059
- Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Trees p204
- The Sibley Guide to Trees p336
- Trees of the Southeastern United States p089
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge p14
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide p048