Acer saccharum Marsh. - sugar maple

Image 1. A mature, stand-grown tree, remaining at road-side after neighbouring trees have been cut, late June.

Image 2. A terminal and two lateral buds expanding and close to bursting, mid-May.

Image 3. Buds bursting in late May: note how the distal-most bud scales of the terminal bud have rudimentary leaf laminae at their tips, clearly indicating how the bud scales can be considered to be modified petioles of leaves, also clear is the remarkable expansion of the inner bud scales as bud-burst occurs.

Image 4. Corymbose inflorescence showing the long, pubescent pedicels with their enlarging flowers, mid- to late May.

Image 5. Blooming inflorescences showing many staminate (with stamens protruding), and a few pistillate flowers (with pistils protruding), early June.

Image 6. Fruits (double samaras) rapidly developing in late June: note the scars in the infructescence, from which staminate flowers have been shed.

Image 7. A first-year seedling (centre), in late June, showing its elongated cotyledons and the first pair of leaves: note for comparison, at the lower right, a first-year seedling of Acer pensylvanicum with broader, more oval and darker cotyledons, and smaller, more pointed first leaves: at the base of the picture is part of a first-year seedling of Fagus grandifolia, and, to the upper right but almost beneath the Acer saccharum seedling is a germinant of Betula alleghaniensis.

Image 8. Stump sprouts in early June from the stump of a tree cut the previous fall.

Image 9. Stump sprouts five years old, late May.

Image 10. Some fall colouring of leaves, early October.

Image 11.102. Epicormic branches growing vigorously upwards on the broken trunk of a medium-sized tree, May.

Information provided by:
Dr. G.R. Powell
Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management at UNB