Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Sapindales>Aceraceae>Acer saccharinum L.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) leaves

Silver Maple is a medium-sized to large tree commonly planted but generally uncommon to rare in the wild throughout North Carolina, found growing along streams and in other wet habitats.

Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) leaves

The leaves are silvery-white beneath.

Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) leaves

The leaves are more deeply lobed than those of the similar Red Maple.

Ellerbe Creek, Durham NC 9/23/03.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) leaf

NC 751 bridge, Jordan Lake, Chatham Co., NC 9/20/03.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) bark

Similar to Red Maple, the bark of young trees (foreground) is smooth, while that of larger trees (background) is scaly.

Ellerbe Creek, Durham NC 10/1/03.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) bark

Bark of a large tree.

Grayson Co., VA 6/10/07.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) tree

Trees are usually multi-stemmed. Silver Maple can be spotted at a distance when the wind blows to reveal the silvery leaf undersides.

Madison Co., NC 5/11/08.

More information:
Bioview
Trees of Alabama and the Southeast
University of Connecticut
Virginia Tech Dendrology

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