our largest and finest forest trees, growing to a height of 80 feet with
a diameter of two or more feet. The tree produces a dense, round, compact crown
when grown in the open and is used quite extensively as a shade or ornamental
tree. In the fall the yellow, red and crimson colors of the leaves form a
very showy and beautiful part of the landscape. It is the best of the maples
for production of maple syrup and sugar.
The leaves are three to five lobed, but usually five lobed. The lobes are deeply cut with rounded divisions between the lobes, dark green above and pale green with a silvery cast below.
The twigs are opposite on the stem, smooth and gray to brown in color.
Similar to other maples, the fruit is a pair of winged seeds about 1 inch
long. The seeds ripen in the autumn.
On large branches and trunk the bark is light to dark gray, narrowly ridged with long, deep furrows, sometimes becoming scaly.
[Tree Identification Homepage] - [ISUForestry Extension] - [ISU Extension]