Silver Maple Tree
Acer saccharinum L.
AKA: creek maple, river maple, soft maple, silverleaf maple, swamp maple, and water maple
Silver maples are fast-growing trees (3-7 feet/year) and are named for the silvery underside of their leaves. They prefer wet soil so are common in floodplains and along rivers.
Fun facts about silver maples:
- Their sap can be tapped to produce a light maple syrup.
- Baltimore orioles like to make their nests in their branches.
- Their shallow root system helps stabilize riverbanks, but can be invasive, damaging sidewalks, foundations, and underground pipes.
- The “helicopter” seeds of the silver maple are some of the largest of the maples.
- A pioneer species that is shade-intolerant, it has a tendency to outgrow other species. Its rapid growth gives it potential as a biofuel.
- Though their wood is soft it can be used to make furniture and cabinets.
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