Acer saccharinum ~ Silver Maple

The Silver Maple is widely adaptable and fast growing and has some really flavorful sap in the Spring. Acer saccharinum can produce spectacular Fall Color displays where the soil pH is low enough that the leaves don't get burned. During the Spring and Summer the leaves are green on top and Silver on the bottom. The Silver Maple is tolerant of soggy soils, clay to sandy soils and grows fairly well in the middle of a lawn. The wood of Acer saccharinum is soft and tends to break in heavy winds or sometimes just because it grew too much. This tree is best planted back from the house or where cars might be parked. The Silver Maple can lift driveways and foundations and if given the opportunity disrupt sewer lines and drain lines. In a lawn setting the roots are often shallow and can make the surface uneven and difficult to mow. Acer saccharinum is resilient and will recover well from all of those broken branches and just grow more back in their place. The leaves drop during a fairly narrow period in the Fall making cleanup fairly easy. The leaves make for some great compost.