How high sugar content can a Silver Maple get?

[claystroup]

I collected 25 gallons sap last night and was checking each pail with my refractometer. My Sugars were running 2.4 to 2.6 but I have a large Silver Maple with a big crown in my front yard and it was at 2.8. Is it possible for a Silver Maple to be this high? I checked my calibration with distilled water and my refractometer was spot on. Clay in Almont, MI.

[littleTapper]

One of my last batches from my silvers last year was pushing 4% based on my syrup yield. So, yeah, it can be that high.

[MunsterMapler]

I tap mosly all silver maples, and have tested anywhere between 2.2% and 3.6%. The 3.6% I got was probably from dumping ice in the morning but was still surprised to see that high of a sugar content. I'm kinda taking notes and keeping track throughout the season to see how it changes.

[JDsap]

I routinely get 2.0% to 3.0% on my silver maples that are in yard areas. It really seems to vary throughout the season. I have noticed that the sugar content really drops on my trees as the season winds down.

[Run Forest Run!]

My best silver runs 3.5 - 4.75 % all season. Love it.

[MapleMark753]

I fully believe the above reports on high sugar content Silver Maples. However, just for comparison, I tap a couple hundred typical woods Silvers, and they average 1.4 to 1.7. And, some don't give at all. We don't have any yard Silvers with huge crowns so don't have that comparison.
good luck!
Mark

[cncaboose]

60 year old silver in front of my house runs 4+ % year after year.