A well known species for good reason, sugar maples are a staple and climax species of the eastern woodlands! Best grown in moist soil containing some loam. Fairly adaptable, but extremely dry or extremely wet sites should be avoided. Fall color is a fairly reliable yellow. Trees 18”+ in diameter can be tapped for sap.

Pollination: Self pollinating.

Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture: Wet Mesic, Mesic

Soil Type: Loam, Rocky Loam, Sandy Loam, Silty Loam, Clay Loam

Height: 60’-100’

Width: 35’-70’

Bloom Color: -

Bloom Time: Mar

Fruit: Female flowers mature to classic winged maple seeds (“helicopters”) in late summer-fall.

Fall Color: Yellow

Root Type: Branching 

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Flowers are wind pollinated, but bees may collect pollen from male flowers. Hosts many insects including beetles, leafhoppers, plant hoppers, moths, and smaller insects. Many bees, flies, and butterflies including the mourning cloak, comma, and red admiral feed on the sap. Sap, hollows, and host insects support a wide variety of birds as well as squirrels, chipmunks, voles, mice, and bats. Commonly browsed by deer and beaver.

Notes: Trees are self pollinating to a limited extent, but wind pollination means they produce seeds well even when other sugar maples are distant.