Sugar Maple
Researched by Judith Evans
Species: Acer saccharum
Common name: Sugar Maple
Family: Sapindaceae (Maple Family)
Clade: Angiosperms (flowering seed plants)
Coordinates: 39.70868676, -75.12071384
A tag using this number is placed near the tree.
Acer saccharum, or sugar maple, belongs to the Acer genus, which has over 150 species. Ancestors of this group originated when the Bering land bridge connected North America to Asia. As a result, maple species can be found on multiple continents. The sugar maple tree is known for its sap, which produces maple syrup. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of maple syrup, and the average sugar maple produces anywhere from five to 15 gallons of sap. When sap leaves the tree, it is only about 2% sugar and mostly water, but the sugar content develops and concentrates as the sap is boiled down.
When mature, sugar maple trees can range in height from 60 to 75 feet with a canopy spread of 40 to 50 feet. Typically dark brown, the bark of the sugar maple has wide stripes running vertically along the trunk, separated by narrow grooves. Read More
Campus Species Map
Researcher’s Biography
Judith Evans
Judith Evans earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in 2022.
Suggested Citation:
Evans, Judith. (2021, Dec). Sugar Maple. Rowan University Arboretum. https://arboretum.rowan.edu/trees/sugar-maple/
Questions to Explore
- Who was the first to make maple syrup, and how does this change your perception of how we make maple syrup today?
- How do animals interact with the sugar maple tree?
- How are sugar maple trees affected by pollution?
References
Acer saccharum. (n.d.). | Link
Acer saccharum – environmental horticulture. (n.d.). | Link
Acer saccharum ‘Sweet shadow’ – plant finder. (n.d.). | Link
How maple syrup is made. Massachusetts Maple Producers Association. (2017, June 19). | Link
Maple syrup production for the beginner. Penn State Extension. (2021, November 17). | Link
Sugar maple: Acer Saccharum. UWL Website. (n.d.). | Link
Sugar Maple Tree Acer Saccharum. Sugar Maple Tree on the Tree Guide at arborday.org. (n.d.). | Link
The most beautiful maple trees – sugar maple, red maple and more (with pictures). Leafy Place. (2021, May 26). | Link
Uses of the sugar maple tree – interesting – 2021. (n.d.). | Link
10 fun facts about maple syrup . Prince Edward County. (2021, March 13). | Link
Rowan University Resources
You may need to log into the Rowan University Library website.
How fresh is maple syrup? | Link
Sugar maple responses to climate change | Link
Sugar maple decline in Northern Pennsylvania | Link
Trailside Botany: 101 Favorite Trees, Shrubs, and Wildflowers of the Upper Midwest | Link