Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum · Deciduous Broadleaf Hardwood
Plant Family
Sapindaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree
Variety / Cultivar
Legacy Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum 'Legacy')
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-8; adaptable to various climates but sensitive to high heat and urban pollution.
About This Tree
A stately shade tree with a dense, oval to rounded crown. It exhibits a slow to moderate growth rate and is prized for its uniform symmetrical shape and thick glossy foliage that resists tattering in the wind.
Leaf Characteristics
Simple, 3-5 inches wide, with 5 deeply cut lobes. Opposite arrangement. Dark green and glossy in summer, turning brilliant shades of orange, gold, and scarlet in autumn.
Bark Characteristics
Initially smooth and gray on young trees, becoming deeply furrowed into long, irregular, thick vertical plates as the tree matures.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia to Manitoba and south to Georgia and Texas.
Growing Season
Buds break in early spring; flowers appear with leaves in April-May; seeds ripen in fall followed by winter dormancy.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Prefers full sun for best crown development but is unusually shade-tolerant for a hardwood; requires moist, well-drained, fertile soil.
Mature Size
Reaches 50-80 feet in height with a spread of 35-50 feet. Moderate growth rate of 12-24 inches per year. Can live 200-300 years.
Special Characteristics
Famous for maple syrup production; exceptional fall color; highly valued for high-quality timber (hard maple); excellent heat tolerance for its species.
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides seeds (samaras) for squirrels and birds; host plant for numerous moth larvae; provides nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds; excellent source of early-season pollen for bees.