Acer saccharum

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum )

The sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) is a species of the genus maples ( Acer). They formed their own family before the maple family ( Aceraceae ), but today the family of Soapberry ( Sapindaceae ) are classified. The tree is used as an important supplier of timber as well as for the extraction of sugar juice (maple syrup)

Features

The tree can reach heights of growth of up to 40 meters. The leaves are cut and three-to five-lobed, they are similar to those of the pointed maple ( A. platanoides ). In autumn the leaves turn a wide range of colors from yellow to orange to dark red or.

The heyday of the tree is in April before the outbreak of the foliage. The flowers are there in bunches of 5 cm long stalks. The fruits ripen in autumn. This is the typical maple leaf fruits that have from 3 to 5 cm long and almost parallel Asked wing in this species.

Dissemination

The sugar maple is widespread over much of the North American East from Canada to the southern United States. In Europe, it is grown as an ornamental tree in gardens, parks and streets.

After the model leaves the maple leaf on the Canadian flag was designed, therefore, we speak of the wood as Canadian maple. However, the sugar maple is also the official state tree of the U.S. states of New York, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Use

The sugar maple ( A. saccharum ) is used both for the extraction of sugar juice in the form of maple syrup, as well as for timber.

The maple wood of the tree ( Canadian Maple ) is relatively hard and is within North America, together with the black sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. Nigrum) used as " hard maple " in furniture and veneer production.

The name derives from the use of sugar extraction. With the help of 2.5 inch deep holes in the trunks of the xylem sap is extracted with three to ten percent sucrose content. In four weeks, a tree may provide 50 to 100 liters of juice which is mainly made ​​into maple syrup.

Special

The leaves contribute significantly to the known as "Indian summer" bright red late summer forests of parts of North America.

Pictures

Sugar juice extraction