Tap the wrong tree?

[PaulNewbie]

Newbie here probably asking a question that has been asked many times before. Sorry for that.

I decided to get involved a few weeks ago, bought stuff and ready to tap (probably next week, live in CT)

I have looked up ways to identify maple trees without leaves. Basically I am going for opposing buds. Some trees are young so flaking bark may not be a way to detemine.

My question is:

If I tap a non-maple will it sap clear?

I figured that I would test each tree I tap by taking a small amount and boiling it in a pan on the stove to see if it is maple....is that a good idea?


Thanks
Paul

[spencer11]

the taking a small amount seems like a good idea. my first year i tapped a oak tree that was right next to a maple tree. i didnt get ANY sap from that bucket which makes sence. my younger trees here in NH have smooth bark that is starting to flake. and mine typically have moss on them to.

spencer

[Ecnerwal]

Won't help much this year, but over the summer, work out a method to mark them with the leaves on so you can see it in the winter. It's not super-impressive but it sure beats making mistakes. For this year, you may get an idea by looking at what leaves are under the snow (if you have any left - our snow is raining off again today) or if there are a few leaves still on the tree, which are often oak or beech, but you can look at leaf shape and see that.)

If you get any sap, just tasting it will normally tell you, no boiling needed.

[smokeyamber]

Yeah, marking with leaves on... did that, still tapped what I now know was a beech.... Now all mine are marked, even though I can now identify without leaves it makes hanging buckets quicker. One tree tapped last season I swore was not a maple cause it wasn't running, pulled the tap and much later in the season I walked by and it was running so be aware they don't all run at the same time. Reds run different than Sugars for sure, others could comment better on Silvers.. etc...

You will learn fast and in couple of seasons you will know all those trees !

[spencer11]

yes beware that different trees do run a different times to. i spend so much time in my sugar bush i have memmorized where all the trees are and how they are layed out.

spencer

[GramaCindy]

I too tapped an oak or two last year, my first. This year I went out in the fall to identify the correct trees. I have some that I didn't get to, dig down in the snow for some indication as to if they are maples. Just a bit of help, but not perfect.

[spencer11]

i agree with what others have said and look at leaves and the bark on the older ones.

spencer

[SevenCreeksSap]

In winter look at the very ends of the branches and look for opposite at the very ends. Only four tree types have opposite branches. maple,Ash, Dogwood, buckeye. MADBUCK.

If it looks like a pitchfork with 3 tines, its ash. Dogwood is too small to tap and bark looks like a checkerboard. If you dont see buckeyes on the ground probably not that and the branches are generally thick on ends like a walnut.

Maple- forks at ends with two branches exactly opposite. then look at bark. if it has very pointy buds and smooth probably beech, dont tap. Look for Maple seeds, (helicopter seeds we all played with as kids) may be some left. Bark on reds probably smoother on upper limbs and rougher on bottom trunk and may have reddish branches. Silvers may have flower pods in winter that look like buds (mine do)and peeling type bark like a shagbark hickory, sugars bark a little flatter than silvers. Biggest tip forks at ends with two twigs.

Best option ask someone close who knows. See if your city has a municipal forester and tell him what you want to do. they're getting paid might as well do something.
Find a Petersons field guide to N. American trees has a winter key but you need to learn the terminology.

[bowtie]

last year i had a tree that resembled an oak more than a maple and if not for some leftover leaves on it i might not have tapped it, turned out to be a great producer 2 taps that out produced most of my field trees. i spend a ton of time in the woods and there are still trees that through me for a loop, with all the introduced species it is not easy to indentify every tree in the woods. about 2 weks ago i went out and marked "my new maples" with red spray paint, i actually ran out of paint, i marked all the hard maples, reds, we call them soft maples,,a few silvers and some that looked more like crosses, probably softs, i usually can tell by the bark, if it does not have the characteristic maple bark, be that flaky like the reds or smooth and "ridgey" it is probably not a maple or is too small to tap. smaller trees usaually have not developed their mature features yet. if you still can not figure it out put the bit to it if runs and is sweet your in luck.

[Like Minded Farmer]

Getting input from someone who knows sounds like the best idea untill the leaves come back for you. Most of the old timers know ( or at least think they do) and if the snow isn't too deep would probably enjoy getting out there with you. They might even pass on helpful suggestions about the rest of your operation.

[red maples]

I go by bark in the winter I couldn't tell by a twig if I had them all lined up in front of me. 99% of the time I can tell what a tree is just from the bark. the ones that throw me with out leaves are ash and norways, Ash although slightly different look similar to a red or silver maple(I tapped 2 my first year and didn't even realize until the next season) , and norways look similar to an Oak with that cordroy bark but usually have the remnents of the seed stems hanging all over the tree. I think sugar maples for me anyway are the easiest to bark to pick out!!! and they seem for be very solid( for lack of a better word) when you smack them with an open hand. The amount of sap you get (none from oaks) won't amount to much so I wouldn't worry about it. You can get sap from birch and beech. Ash and Oak won't run!!!

[Tom59]

Try this website. Might help you out until the leaves come out.


.http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/kids/tree_index.htm

[KenWP]

If you tap the wrong tree you will not get any sap from most of them.I tapped a stupid beech the first year and wondered why it never flowed till I finally spied one little ripple chip leaf way uo on top. Close to the house I had all the maple trees with red tape wrapped around them and they were easy.Now I shake my head when I see the tape as maple trees look so different then the others.
I have one big tree that has bark as smooth as my bottom with bright green bark that I tapped my first year.It is a maple and gives twice or three times the sap that others do.I went and checked it on purpose the next summer just to be sure and it has leaves like the fellow in another thread asked about.
The big sugar bush near me tells me that almost every year they have some one tap the wrong tree and wonder why there is no sap from it.