Sugar Maple

Common Name: Sugar maple

Scientific (Latin) Name: Acer saccharum

French name: Érable à sucre

Is this tree native to North america?

The sugar maple is native to the eastern part of North America. Native Americans tapped sugar maples for their sweet maple syrup, and used the sugar of the tree for bartering. The hardwood was useful in the making of furniture and flooring.

Does this tree have any traditional uses in indigenous cultures?

The sap of a maple tree has been used by Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Algonquin, as well as a few American groups to make syrup and sugar. The wood of not only the sugar maple, but all maples are used to make snowshoes, baskets, weapons like bows and spear handles, paddles, and quite a lot more.

How big does this species grow?

A sugar maple is a large tree that usually lives up to 200 years and can grow just about 35 metres tall.

What animals use this tree ?

Moose, deer, squirrels, rabbits, hares, porcupines, mice and a lot of bird species depend on the tree for food or shelter.

What does this species need to thrive?

The sugar maple can tolerate shade, but it would much prefer to grow in full sunlight. Sugar maples grow best in soil that is deep, rich, and moist. You should water them twice a week if there has not been much rainfall.

Does this tree grow better around some plants than others?

Sugar maples are usually found growing by ironwood, beech, basswood, white ash, black cherry, yellow birch, white pine, and red oak. Once sugar maples are more mature, they become a predominant species. They can grow well with any tree.