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Cornell Junior Extension Bulletin 26 



47. SILVER MAPLE 



White Maple 



(Acer saccharinum Linnaeus) 



Silver maple is generally distributed throughout the State, but is not 

 nearly so common as is red maple. It prefers the same general moist 

 soil conditions, and the -wood is used for the same purposes as the red 



SILVER MAPLE 

 Twig, one-half natural size ; leaf and 

 fruit, one-third natural size 



maple with which it is included under the term "soft maple" by lum- 

 berman. Frequently it is planted as a shade tree on account of its rapid 

 growth. 



Bark — on young trunks smooth, gray in color with reddish tinge ; 

 with age becoming reddish brown in color, more or less furrowed, the 

 surface separating in long thin flakes which become free at the ends and 

 flake off. 



Twigs — similar to red maple but having a distinctly rank odor when 

 broken or crushed. 



Winter buds — similar to red maple but larger, usually very dense 

 clusters of lateral buds ; the large, plumper ones are flower buds. 



Leaves — simple, opposite, from 3 to 5 inches long, fully as wide, 5- 

 lobed ; margins of lobes coarsely serrate ; clefts between lobes, particu- 

 larly the middle three, very deep ; at maturity leaves pale green in color 

 above and silvery white below, hence the name. 



Fruit — maple keys, much larger than in the red maple though matur- 

 ing at about the same time in the spring. Wings — more widely divergent 

 than those of the red maple. Sometimes only one side of the key de- 

 velops. 



