Description: Large tree, with short, stout trunk, few large forks; spreading, open, irregular crown of long, curving branches; and graceful cut leaves.

Height: 15-25 m

Diameter: 0.9 m

Leaves: Opposite; 10-15 cm long and nearly as wide. Broadly ovate, deeply five-lobed and long-pointed (middle lobe often three-lobed); doubly saw-toothed with three main veins from the base; becoming hairless; slender, reddish, drooping petiole. Dull green above, silvery-white beneath; turning pale yellow or soft gold in the autumn, occasionally scarlet and crimson.

Bark: Grey; becoming furrowed into long, scaly, shaggy ridges.

Shoots: Light green to brown; long, spreading and often slightly drooping; hairless; with slightly unpleasant odour when crushed.

Flowers: 6 mm long; reddish buds turning greenish yellow; crowded in nearly stalkless clusters; male and female in separate clusters; in late winter or very early spring before the leaves; calyx 5 mm, bright red; on 1 cm dark red pedicel.

Fruit: 4-6 cm long including long, broadly-tipped, twisted wing; paired, widely forking keys, light brown with thick pink veins; on 3-5 cm stalk; one-seeded; maturing in the spring.

Habitat: Wet soils of stream banks, flood plains and swamps with other hardwoods.

Range: S Ontario east to New Brunswick, south to NW Florida, west to E Oklahoma, north to N Minnesota; to 600 m, higher in mountains.

Rapid growth makes Silver Maple a popular shade tree; however, its form is not generally pleasing, its brittle branches are easily broken in windstorms, and the abundant fruit produce litter. Sugar can be obtained from the sweetish sap, but the yield is low. Introduced to Britain in 1725 and frequent by arterial roads and in parks. Fruit rarely developed in UK, falling very early.

Information: Audubon (1980), Bean I (1976), Mitchell (1978)

Source: Weasdale Nurseries, Newbiggin-on-Lune, Cumbria.

Purchased: 1993.11.19, one at about 1m.

Planted: 1993.12.20 in US Oak/Maple/Alder triangle

Progress: This is proving to be by far the most successful of the eastern American Maples we have planted. 2.25 m high on 1998.10.07, it forms a bushy crown of attractive green leaves each spring, which seem to resist attack by insects better than other nearby trees. Despite the proximity of a Sycamore which is blackened each year by Acer tar spot, just one spot on one leaf was noted in October 1998 on this tree. Since the sycamore was largely removed, this tree has progressed well, and despite its reputation, its form is excellent, broad as well as high, and not suffering from die back on the windward side, as many of our trees do. The autumn colour is good, if brief. The crown is so broad that its height is getting difficult to measure, but seems to be close to 5.5m in September 2004. The only down side of all this is that it is taking up a bit more space than was perhaps allowed for, but the loss of a couple of nearby trees means that this is not a pressing problem.

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