Leaf
Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0
Silver maple
Acer saccharinum L.
Family: Sapindaceae
20 to 30 m tall
Planted as a shade tree in parks, likes cool soils
Flowering: February – March, before the leaves
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to about -30°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its foliage, silvery on the underside, shimmers distinctly whenever the wind turns it over, an effect that earned it its name.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, deeply cut, deeply lobed, green above and silvery-white beneath
🌸 Flowers
Small, greenish to reddish, appearing early in late winter before the leaves
🍎 Fruits
Large winged samaras, among the largest in the genus Acer
🪵 Bark
Grey, peeling in long plates with age
🗺️ Distribution
Native to eastern North America
🐝 Value for pollinators
Very early flowering, an important source of pollen for the first insects to become active
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted for its fast growth and silvery foliage stirred by the wind
🌿 Other Sapindaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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