Acer saccharum – Sugar Maple

The standard by which all other trees are measured for Fall foliage, sugar maple graces the flag of Canada and the mesic forests of most of eastern North America. It becomes a large, full-crowned tree in open areas but can thrive as a tall, dominant tree in dense shade. The most common fall color is a luminous orange but the palette includes clear yellows and reds as well. The flowers in spring are not showy but can be so abundant as to create a soft yellow haze throughout a woodland. Of course, sugar maple is an important commercial species, its sap being tapped in late winter for maple syrup production. Prefers well-drained, evenly moist, somewhat acidic soil.