What does black maple look like?
Black maple, once considered a separate species (Acer nigrum), is now considered a subspecies of sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. nigrum). It displays similar characteristics of a dense, rounded crown; dark, furrowed bark and brilliant fall color. It is a commonly planted tree in this region.
How can you tell a black maple from a sugar maple?
The simplest and most accurate method for distinguishing between the two trees is the generally three-lobed leaves of the black maple versus the generally five-lobed leaves of the sugar maple. The leaves of the black maple also tend to have a “droopy” appearance.
Where is black maple found?
Found in Canada in the Great Lakes region in moist floodplains.
Is black maple a hardwood?
Like its close biological cousin, the sugar maple — the black maple, or Acer nigrum Michx. f., is a “hard hardwood.” Common names for the black maple include black sugar maple, hard maple and rock maple. The wood of black maple is hard, fine-grained and light in color.
What is black maple wood?
Also, as its name implies, mature bark on black maple trees tends to be dark gray or almost black. Its wood is stronger, stiffer, harder, and denser than all of the other commercial species of maple.
How do I know if I have a sugar maple tree?
Identifying Sugar Maple Trees by their Leaves. Look closely at the color of the leaves. Sugar maple leaves will have a dark green color on the outside, and a lighter green on the underside. In the fall, sugar maple leaves will lose their green color and take on a beautiful orange, yellow, or red.
Can you tap a black maple tree?
Many different types of maple trees can be tapped to collect sap, including Sugar Maple, Black Maple, Red Maple, and Silver Maple. Pliers: Used to remove the tap from the tree once the sap season is over.
Which Maple trees make the best syrup?
Sugar maples are by far the first choice for use in maple syrup production. They have the highest sugar content, the best yield and the longest sugaring season. On average, sugar maples will produce for 20 days across a 6 week season and produce roughly one quart of syrup for each tree tapped.
How fast does black maple grow?
Black maple grows on a variety of soils, but most commonly on moist soils of river bottoms in mixed hardwood forests. It grows rapidly in early life, then slowly and may live 200 years.
What is the black maple used for?
Black maple is cut and sold with sugar maple as hard maple lumber. The trees can be tapped for sap for making maple syrup. Young trees are often browsed by deer, and buds and seeds are eaten by birds. Occasionally this tree is used as an ornamental.
Which maples are considered hard maples?
“Hard maple” is the common term for two species of maple trees: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) and Black Maple (Acer nigrum). Hard maple is commonly used in the manufacture of flooring, furniture, cabinets, billiard cues and other finished wood products.
How much does maple syrup cost?
How much does maple syrup cost? Maple syrup is usually sold in bottles and is graded differently. On average, a bottle of pure maple syrup can cost anywhere from as little as $7 per pint to more than $40 per half-gallon . This will depend on the brand, the quantity and where it’s purchased from.
How is maple syrup processed?
The Manufacturing Process Season. 1 In the winter, the maple does not grow, and it stores its sap in its roots. Tapping. To collect maple sap, holes are drilled into the trees and hollow spikes are inserted. Collecting. 3 Once the tree is tapped, farmers gently drive a hollow spike called a spile into the hole. Sugaring. Bottling.
How is maple syrup made?
Maple syrup. Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species.