Hunting for Maple trees

[calsum2]

Guys I am a new at this and am hunting for some road side maples......I seem to be finding mostly oak trees but found this leaf mixed and looks like a maple to me.....can anyone identify what type. Also These are the two trees I think it came from do either of these look like a Maple? if so what kind.

Thanks for any help you can provide525452555256

[Ren]

Check the branches to see whether they are opposing or alternating. If they are opposing it could be a maple or maybe a ash. Oak trees have alternating branch patterns. The bark on an old ash tree will have a diamond like pattern a maple will not if I remember correctly.

[happy thoughts]

Those leaves look more like sweet gum to me. Look for it's seed cases on the ground. They kind of look like a mace.

The best time to ID trees is when they're in leaf but like Ren said, the first place to start is to look at it's branches. Look at branches on the tree, not something laying on the ground. If they're mostly paired and opposite, sometimes called buddy branches, then it's either a maple or an ash. Next take a close look at the buds. A good tree guide should help you narrow it down. You should be able to google one on the net.

[sugar ED]

Hi calsum2 , My guess Black maple. "Acer nigrum (Black maple) is a species of maple closely related to A. saccharum (sugar maple),
and treated as a subspecies of it by some authors, as Acer saccharum subsp. nigrum."
The simplest and most accurate method for distinguishing between the two trees is the generally three-lobed
leaves of the black maple versus the generally five-lobed leaves of the sugar maple.
The leaves of the black maple also tend to have a "droopy" appearance. Other differences that are not
as pronounced include darker, more deeply grooved bark, slightly smaller seeds, and thicker petioles.
However ??? the bark looks alittle different between the two trees /pic. u have ??? And I don"t have Black maples to compare bark with ,So.. the loose bark (pic.3 ) could/looks to be a silver or the black ? and the corse bark (Pic. 2) a Norway or the Black ,All are maple and can be taped .
And the best way to find out in the winter/spring is to tap in taste !
Good luck tappin ! Ed

[sugar ED]

Darn pic didn't make it last post ! trying again 5264

[sugaringman85]

my guess is sweet gum...are there any spiny ball looking seed pods lying around?

[happy thoughts]

Sugar ed, I have to disagree on the black maple ID. The leaves pic is almost certainly sweet gum imho.

The bark in the trunk pics doesn't look right for black maple. There's no lifting of the bark as I'd expect to see in trees that size. I'm no expert but we tap blacks here. ID'ing them was a bugger because they are not all that common in most of PA except for it's western edge and a narrow fork that extends centrally from WV. Most of the woodsman I know in NE PA had never heard of them. We just happen to live in that fork now. You really need to see a branch with growing leaves to distinguish it from sugars. They are easily confused especially where they hybridize. DE, where calsum lives, is far outside the native range of black maple so I wouldn't expect to find it there. Here is a link to the US forest service range map for blacks.

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/acer/nigrum.htm

[jmp]

Leaf is positively sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua). Like others have posted first check branching; opposite or alternate. You can also look into crown to see if there are any leaves still hanging on. Buds are a great indicator of species but chances are there are no low hanging branches with trees of that DBH. Picture #2 looks more like a maple to me. Is the tree located in an upland area? White ash prefer uplands and green ash prefer wetter areas. Both have deeply furrowed bark. Unfortunately there are not always "textbook trees"; trees hybridize across species and commonly exhibit variations in bark and leaf characteristics. Picture #3 looks more like a red maple to me based on flatter bark. I am basing my opinions (a.k.a. guestimates) on my 16 years as an environmental consultant. But I could be wrong! Bark is not always the best indicator; its important to look at leaves, buds and bark. Again, like others have mentioned you can tap all species of maple. Good luck!

[calsum2]

Guys thanks for all the info......I found a maple of all places in my brother in laws back yard.....got my first full bucket and boiled it down tonight......this summer I am going to mark me some trees. I tapped these trees and need to go check to see if they gave up sap.

I wonder about the third pic if you notice there are scars all around this tree at the same height.....makes me wonder if it has been tapped by someone previously?

[eustis22]

WHOOOOAAAA.....does sweet gum exude sap?????

[calsum2]

WHOOOOAAA................is right......this stuff tastes out of this world.........boiled down one bucket on a 12x24 stainless pan.......think I have about a 1/2 pint of the sweet stuff will check the bucket in a day or so and add to it......need to get a candy thermometer tomorrow......I am officially hook.....this is a blast.


I wonder if I am the only one tapping in Delaware!!!!!WHOOOOOAAA!!!!!!

[calsum2]

Wish my three reds would give up sap they are all bone dry tapped for about two 1/2 weeks...oh well will have to find other options this spring.