Acer saccharum subsp. nigrum
Marshall, (F. Michx.) Desmarais
Black sugar maple
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Tennessee Technological University, Hollister Herbarium (HTTU-)
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MBG
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Gerrit Davidse
Summary
Source: WikipediaAcer saccharum, the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the primary source of maple syrup and for its brightly colored autumn foliage. It may also be called "rock maple," "sugar tree," "sweet maple," or, particularly in reference to the wood, "hard maple," "birds-eye maple," or "curly maple," the last two being specially figured lumber.
Description
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
Edible Uses
The sugar maple is one of the most important Canadian trees, being, with the black maple, the major source of sap for making maple syrup. Other maple species can be used as a sap source for maple syrup, but some have lower sugar content and/or produce more cloudy syrup than these two. In maple syrup production from Acer saccharum, the sap is extracted from the trees using a tap placed into a hole drilled through the phloem, just inside the bark. The collected sap is then boiled. As the sap boils, the water evaporates and the syrup is left behind. Forty gallons of maple sap produces 1 gallon of syrup. In the southern part of their range, sugar maples produce little sap; syrup production is dependent on the tree growing in cooler climates. Additionally, the samaras (seeds) can be soaked, and—with their wings removed—boiled, seasoned, and roasted to make them edible. The young leaves and inner bark can be eaten either raw or cooked.
Traditional Uses
The sap of the tree is used as a source of sugar. It produces Maple syrup. The inner bark can be cooked, dried, ground into flour then used to thicken soups. The seeds with the wings removed can be boiled and eaten.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant. Naturally found in the USA and Canada, in valleys usually below 750 metres but up to 1650 metres in the south of its range. It can tolerate a range of soils. When trees are dormant they can withstand temperatures to -45°C. They are most commonly on broad flat flood plains. It suits hardiness zones 4-8.
Where It Grows
Australia, Canada, North America, USA,
Cultivation
Seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours then kept cold at 0-8°C for 2-4 months to assist them to grown. Seed can be sown fresh if green seeds are used. Layering or cuttings can be used.
Production
Trees grow rapidly for their first 25 years in the wild, but then slow down and only occasionally live for more than 200 years
Notes
There are about 120-150 Acer species.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Black maple, Rock maple
References (11)
- Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 42 (As Acer nigrum)
- Brittonia 7:382. 1952.
- Brouk, B., 1975, Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press, London. p 249 (As Acer nigrum)
- Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications. p 1 (As Acer nigrum)
- Farrar, J.L., 1995, Trees of the Northern United States and Canada. Iowa State University press/Ames p 136 (As Acer nigrum)
Show all 11 references Hide references
- Farrar, J.L., 1995, Trees of the Northern United States and Canada. Iowa State University press/Ames p 134 (As Acer nigrum)
- Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.WDT.QC.ca)
- Lord, E.E., & Willis, J.H., 1999, Shrubs and Trees for Australian gardens. Lothian. p 45 (As Acer nigrum)
- Lyle, S., 2006, Discovering fruit and nuts. Land Links. p 46 (As Acer nigrum)
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 167 (As Acer nigrum)
