# Silver Maple (*Acer saccharinum*)

The Silver Maple has soft, silvery leaves that flutter in the wind. This tree grows fast and loves wet places!

- **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 33
- **Habitat:** Floodplains and riverbanks
- **Also known as:** Silverleaf Maple

![Silver Maple](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424370/objects/4788.jpg)

## Appearance

The Silver Maple has distinct deeply lobed leaves with silvery-white undersides, giving it a shimmering appearance in the breeze. Its bark is smooth and gray when young, becoming shaggy with long, peeling strips as it matures, revealing reddish-brown inner bark.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Sapindales
- **Family:** Sapindaceae
- **Genus:** Acer

## Interesting facts

- Its winged seeds, called 'samaras,' spin like tiny helicopters as they fall to the ground.
- Sap from a Silver Maple can be boiled down to make maple syrup, just like Sugar Maples!
- Silver Maples are super speedy growers, often one of the fastest growing trees in North America!
- The tree's name comes from its leaves, which shimmer silver when seen from below in the wind!

## Special abilities

- **Quick Start Sprout:** Silver Maple can quickly sprout seeds in early spring floods, helping it colonize new riverbanks fast.
- **Water Whisperer Roots:** Silver Maple has shallow, spreading roots that efficiently soak up water from floodplains and moist soils.
- **Storm Survivor Branches:** Silver Maple has flexible branches that can bend and sway in strong winds, reducing the risk of snapping.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-35 m
- **Spread:** 10-20 m
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Size:** 50-150 cm
- **Lifespan:** 80-130 years
- **Fruit Type:** Samara
- **Growth Rate:** Fast
- **Leaf Type:** Deciduous

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — Feeds on samara seeds and buds.
- **Eats:** Eastern Tent Caterpillar (*Malacosoma americanum*) — Larvae munch on leaves.
- **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on young shoots and twigs.
- **Shelter:** [Hairy Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-woodpecker) (*Picoides villosus*) — Builds nests in tree cavities.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

## Collections

- [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Silver Maple?

Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Silver Maple?

15-35 m

### How wide does Silver Maple spread?

10-20 m

### Is Silver Maple edible?

Yes

### How big is Silver Maple?

50-150 cm

### How long does Silver Maple live?

80-130 years

### Where is Silver Maple usually found?

Floodplains and riverbanks

### What kind of fruit does Silver Maple produce?

Samara

## Where to spot

- [Capen-Clark Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capen-clark-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District
- [Dundee Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dundee-canal) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site
- [Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mitchell-park-horticultural-conservatory) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden
- [Peebles Island State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/peebles-island-state-park) — New York, US · State Park
- [Richard Bong State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/richard-bong-state-recreation-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park
- [Ridgewood Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ridgewood-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District

[View all places to see Silver Maple](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/silver-maple)

## More Trees

- [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*)
- [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*)
- [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*)
- [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*)

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Source: [Silver Maple: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silver-maple)