The silver maple (soft maple) is a  fast-growing,  moisture-loving tree occurring naturally on moist bottomlandsand along streams.  It is a large tree, often attaining a height of 60 to 80feet and a diameter of 3 feet or more.  It can be planted on a variety of soils,and was planted extensively for windbreaks and woodlots by the early settlers.  When grown in the open, it forms a short trunk dividing into a number of largebranches.  When grown with other timber it forms a long, clear stem with athin crown.

The silver maple has opposite leaves on the stem, 3 to 7 inches longand 3 to 6 inches wide with five lobes.  The lobes are sharp pointed and deeplycut.  The leaves are bright green above and pale to silvery white beneath.  The leaf stems are long, slender, smooth and reddish.

The twigs are smooth, shiny and reddish in color.  Late in the winter, many clusters of showy flower buds appear on the tree.

The fruit is a v-shaped samara (winged seed) 1 to 3 inches long on slender, flexible, threadlike stems about 1 inch long.  It ripens in the late spring.

On branches the bark is smooth and grayish with a tinge of pink.  On large branches and trunks it is dark gray, scaly and shaggy with many loose,scaly plates.  It is not deeply furrowed.