Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum
Sapindaceae
Photo by Placeholder via System Generated • CC0 (2025-05-28)
Description
Silver Maple is a fast-growing native tree common along Buffalo's waterways. Named for the silvery undersides of its deeply cut leaves, it's adapted to wet soils and flooding. While brittle in ice storms, it provides quick shade and early spring nectar.
Characteristics
Leaf Type
simple
Leaf Shape
deeply cut 5 lobes with silver undersides
Height
60-80 feet
Bark
gray and shaggy on mature trees
Fruit
largest samaras of any native maple
Flowers
red to yellow-green
Identification Tips
- • Deeply cut leaves with silver undersides
- • Shaggy bark on mature trees
- • Very early flowering (February-March)
- • Largest maple seeds
- • Often multiple trunks
Seasonal Changes
Spring
First maple to flower, before leaves
Summer
Silver leaf undersides flash in wind
Fall
Yellow-green fall color, less showy
Winter
Shaggy bark and numerous twigs visible
Habitat & Growing Conditions
Hardiness Zones
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Soil Preference
moist, tolerates flooding, adaptable
Sun Requirements
full sun
Image Gallery
Leaves
Photo by Placeholder via System Generated • CC0
Winter
Photo by Placeholder via System Generated • CC0