Norway Maple with purple leaves ?

[Highislandmapler]

Quick question. I've read alot in the past on here about tapping Norway Maples.My questions is the Maple tree with purple leaves I believe it's called the Crimson King variety ever been tapped by anyone on here? If so what were your results?
Thanks
Chad

[softmaple]

I've tapped that before. it did alright. this year though it did nothing. it might be all in where you tap it?

[Scott Prindle]

Softmaple,

The "Crimson King" purple leaved maples are simply a variety of Norway maple. All of the crimson king trees are grafts originating from a single tree that had a genetic aberration that produced the purple leaves.

That being said the sap qualities should be identical to typical Norway maples.

FYI

[Brian Ledoux]

I believe I am tapping a few of those this year. My grandfather and his neighbor each have 3 of them. 50% of my sap comes from those tress. One of them is my best producer of sap. Don't have a sap hydrometer to tell you the sugar content. wish I did. However, the first batch of syrup we made tasted incredibly good. 2nd batch was a different story, I think because I needed to clean my pan but did not.

[Highislandmapler]

Thanks,
I tapped a couple last year and they were producing good, but someone told me dump them because they taste bitter and will ruin the rest of your sap. I have read mixed results so I just needed some opinions.This site seems pretty reliable. Thanks again!

[gmcooper]

I have one on my front lawn that I will be tapping next year even if only for ornamental purposes. If it runs great, if it does I will tesy sugar content.

[Guilfordgold]

Norway maple are actually considered to be exotic invasive trees. Although they might produce sap that you can boil into syrup they are also naturalizing in some forest stands here in Vermont and outcompeting the native maple (and other species) regeneration. Some foresters in our state have been urging people who have norway maple and can bare to do it, to get rid of them. The sap isn't as good as native sugar maple and the wood is considered junk in most markets.

For ID, Norway maple has white sap in the leaf petiole, blunt green, or reddish purple buds, and grooved bark that looks a little more like ash than sugar maple. Also, the leaf lobes on the sugar maple are more triangular where Norway's leaf lobes are more squarish.

[Helicopter Seeds]

I have a neighbor with two decent size trees that must be this type, was thinking of asking to tap them - sure they would allow, but it seems the opinion here is mixed. I don't know if I want to experiment with a small, tiny batch, but it probably would be simple enough in the kitchen in a skillet to boil down a quart, see what you get?

Any follow up before I do that?

[littleTapper]

I tap 9 of them. Sap gets mixed with silver and sugar maple sap. I've also boiled it separate, but there's no need to keep it separate. Syrup is great and the trees run very well. They tend to bud about the same time as sugars here.

So, tap them!

[Run Forest Run!]

I tap a large Norway. Its sap runs always between 2% and 3.5%, never lower, and makes outstanding syrup. (The sap is clear at this time of the year, not the white colour when the leaves return to the trees.)

I strongly encourage you to tap this tree if that's what you have. You will NOT be disappointed.