Acer saccharinum

• BOTANICAL NAME: Acer saccharinum
• PRONUNCIATION: A-ser sak-kar-I-num
• COMMON NAME: Silver Maple
• FAMILY: Aceraceae
• NATIVITY: Southeast Canada to southern U.S.; not common in southeastern PA.
• GROWTH HABIT: Upright oval, 50'-70' (100') tall. Fast growth rate.
• HARDINESS: Zone 3-9
• CULTURE: Very adaptable. Grows well in wet or poor soils.
• SUCCESSIONAL STATUS: Seral
• FACULTATIVE STATUS: Facultative wetland
• LANDSCAPE USE: A poor overused selection. Vigorous, aggressive root system; seeds can be a problem. Fast-growing, brittle wood breaks with age; prune to discourage narrow crotches.
• FOLIAGE: Opposite, simple, 3"-6" across, 5 lobes, acuminate lobes deeply and doubly serrate. Medium-green above, silvery beneath. Flower is yellowish to red.
• BUDS: Clustered, red to green.
• BARK: Gray-brown. Young stems have a fetid odor when crushed.
• FRUIT: Samara 2" long, maturing in the spring.
• PROPAGATION: East from seed.
• PESTS: Numerous.
• CULTIVARS:
  • `Laciniatum' - Finely and deeply cut leaves.
  • `Silver Queen' - Fruitless. Leaves bright-green above, silver beneath