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Thread: Black maple VS. Sugar maple

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Bear Lake, MI
    Posts
    6

    Default Black maple VS. Sugar maple

    Hello, I am wondering who has experience tapping black maple trees and how the sugar compares to sugar maple. I have both on my property and I am wondering how productive they are. My sugar maples are excellent producers dispite being overtapped by the previous owner, but the blacks appear untouched.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    almont
    Posts
    158

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    I have one black maple out of 110 total taps and it is by far my biggest producer. Have not checked its sugar content individually. I would tap them in a minute if I was you.
    Clay Stroup
    Stroup's Sugar Bush
    Almont, MI

    2016: 20 taps, 2 gallons
    2017: 80 taps, 12 gallons
    2018: 92 taps, 16 gallons
    2019: 110 taps, 34 gallons
    2020: 140 taps, 31-1/2 gallons
    2021: 155 taps, 32 gallons
    2022: 190 taps, 29-1/2 gallons
    2023: 200 taps, 42 gallons
    Leader WSE 2x6 drop flue
    Mason Steam Pan finishing set up
    D & G 7" Filter Press
    Next Gen 180 HPRO RO
    John Deere Gator 4 x 2
    12 x 18 Sugar Shack built in 2019

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    From what I've read black maples are very similar to sugar maples as far as sugar content and production is concerned. When it comes to maple trees it's more desirable than reds or silvers. A lot of people on here tap reds and silvers myself included. Most of my taps are reds and produce an excellent flavored syrup. Tap them!
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Brockport, NY
    Posts
    253

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    We have sugar maples, black maples, and what look like hybrid sugar/black maples. For us they are basically interchangable, with similar sugar content, and volume of sap. Black maples make fine syrup, and are not fickle sap producers like our silver maples are. I would not hesitate to tap black maples. When we boil black maple sap separately, some can taste a slight difference in flavor (some can't), but that might be to different soil, sun exposure, etc... good luck!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    315

    Default

    Speaking of black maples, does anyone know where you can buy some in vt? Looking for a landscape project.
    Remember to keep on ticking while the sap is dripping.
    2016- 50 buckets. Made 4 gallons.
    2022- 3900? taps + Smartrek! Made 1300 gallons.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    If you look in the North American Maple Syrup Producer's Manual for the areas where black maples grow, I think they are farther west than Vt, however they may do OK there if planted. I don't know. We used to have 1 black but it died, I suspect it was planted, not native. It was however mature when it died.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    315

    Default

    Thanks for that tip. I've seen a few around town that I'm sure were planted. I want to try because I love the look of them.
    Remember to keep on ticking while the sap is dripping.
    2016- 50 buckets. Made 4 gallons.
    2022- 3900? taps + Smartrek! Made 1300 gallons.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default

    Black Maple grows in the extreme northwest side of Vermont, so it may do okay there.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_n...ange_map_1.png
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Rumney NH
    Posts
    125

    Default

    I tap about 6 black maples 2.5' around, my sugar content only 1.1 to 1.5 they are in thick woods with, not a big canopy. I think they produce about the same as reds. I am a little off the map though.
    2017 140 taps 30x8 12x16 shack 28.5 gal
    2018 158 taps 30x8 12x16 shack with 8x8 kitchen 44 gal
    2019 223 taps 30x8 12x16 shack with 8x8 kitchen 36 gal
    2020 226 taps 30x8 12x16 shack with 8x8 kitchen 250 waterloo ro 63 gal
    2021 230 taps 30x8 12x16 shack with 8x8 kitchen 250 waterloo ro 37 gal
    2022 230 taps 30x8 12x16 shack with 8x8 kitchen 250 waterloo ro 55 gal
    2023 235 taps 30x8 12x16 waterloo ro

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Granville, PA
    Posts
    403

    Default

    I tapped my first Black Maple last season and it was by far my best tree. My average sugar content for the season on a crowded woods with too much rain the year before we 1.1% but that one Black Maple gave 6%+ every time that I checked it. I'm not positive but I feel confident saying that it gave twice the sap as other trees as well. I had the tap pop out twice and both times the sap was flowing, not dripping, out of the hole.

    That tree and all other Black Maples on my property will be tapped next season. To be honest, that's not really saying much as I plan to tap every maple on my property that I can next season.
    Matt,
    Minehart Gap Maple

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