Twigs: Shiny, green when young, becoming red, with numerous light spots ([lenticels]). Leaf buds dark red, blunt-pointed; flower buds round, clustered.
Fruit: Paired winged seeds suspended on a slim stem; reddish brown; wing 1″ or less in length; matures in late spring.
General: Bark on young trees gray and smooth, on older trees becoming darker and with long scaly ridges. A medium-sized tree. Common on both swampy and dry sites. A showy tree, usually with reddish flowers and reddish fruit in the spring, and crimson leaves in autumn. Wood has uses similar to those of [sugar maple] except where strength and hardness are of importance. Often called soft maple.
SILVER MAPLE
(Acer saccharinum)
Leaves: Simple, opposite, 5-lobed, very deep spaces between [lobes], teeth coarse; about 5″ in diameter, silvery below.
Twigs: Green in early spring, turning orange-brown, with many light colored dots ([lenticels]). Distinctive odor when broken. Buds of two distinct types: the small pointed leaf buds toward end of twig, and rounded, clustered flower buds below. Lower branches with up-turned tips.
Fruit: Largest of the native maples; wings may be 2″ long, curving inwards; matures in spring.
General: Bark on young trees smooth and gray; on older trees broken into long, narrow loose strips. A medium-sized tree usually found along streams. Sometimes planted as a shade tree. Wood has uses similar to those of [red maple]. This species is classed as a soft maple.
