The Silver Maple

Acer saccharinum

The silver maple (Acer saccharinum) is sometimes called the white maple, soft maple, silver-leaf maple, river maple, and the creek maple.

Identification with the leaves

The leaves are deeply lobed (much deeper than that of the red maple, with which it can sometimes be confused). The backside of the leaf is white or silvery and sometimes hairy.

silver-maple-leaf

Identification by bark

Silver maples can be identified by their bark as it is fairly distinct. Older trees will have a grayish bark that will flake off to reveal brown spots. Also, broken twigs will have an unpleasant odor to them.

silvermaple-bark

Where is the silver maple found?

The silver maple is an eastern US tree that is extremely common. Observers will occasionally find it in parts of southern and southeastern Canada.

Silver-Maple-Range (1)

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Written by Rob Nelson

Rob is an ecologist from the University of Hawaii. He is the co-creator and director of Untamed Science. His goal is to create videos and content that are entertaining, accurate, and educational. When he's not making science content, he races whitewater kayaks and works on Stone Age Man.

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