Acer saccharum
treeSugar maple (Acer saccharum) is the great hardwood of the northern forest, 40 to 80 ft or more in the open, with a dense rounded crown and the most brilliant fall color of any tree - sheets of orange, scarlet, and gold. Above all it is the maple syrup tree: its sap, run in the brief thaws of late winter, is boiled down into syrup, taking about 32 to 40 gallons of sap for a single gallon of syrup. It is slow-growing, long-lived, and casts deep shade. Grown for its sap and its inner bark, and treasured as a shade and specimen tree, it is the backbone of the sugarbush and the autumn landscape.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 12 days
Harvest
~14 days
Difficulty
easy
Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
Spacing
30-40 ft apart
Planting Depth
Set root flare at soil line
Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Soil Type
Rich, moist, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 – 8
When to Fertilize
Spring feed while young if needed
Fertilizer
Balanced or compost; moderate needs
Sugar maple wants full sun to part shade and deep, rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acid to neutral soil. It is sensitive to drought, road salt, soil compaction, and reflected city heat, so it is a tree for a cool, open, rural or suburban site with room to spread. Plant in spring or fall and water through dry spells while young. It grows slowly, especially at first, and casts shade so dense that grass struggles beneath it. A tree must be well grown and a good size - generally 30 to 40 years and at least 10 to 12 in. in trunk diameter - before it is tapped for sap.
Direct sow
Apr 29
Projected first harvest
May 13
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Black spots on leaves are cosmetic; rake and remove fallen leaves to reduce the fungus
A soil fungus that wilts branches; keep the tree unstressed and prune out dead wood
Drip honeydew but seldom harm the tree; predators and a hose keep them in check
Tap for sap in late winter and very early spring, during the magic window when days rise above freezing and nights drop below it, which makes the sap run. Drill a shallow hole on a sound, mature tree, set a spile and bucket, and collect daily; boil the sap down promptly to syrup. Stop when the buds swell and the sap turns "buddy" and off-flavored. One or two taps per healthy large tree does no harm. The inner bark was also a traditional sweetener source.
Sugar maple is grown for its sap, the source of maple syrup and maple sugar - one of the few sweeteners that can be made at home from a tree in the backyard. The inner bark was a traditional sweetener and famine food. Beyond the kitchen it is a magnificent long-lived shade tree famous for the most vivid fall color in the northern landscape.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.