6 Most Common Types of Maple Trees

From Sugar Maple to Paperbark Maple, there are more than 100 types of maple trees. These trees and shrubs are different in color and growth. They also give multiple options for landscaping. Here are the six most commonly found varieties in the United States.

Identifying Different Kinds of Maple Trees

Most maple trees are native to Asia, with just 13 native to the United States.

While they share some common traits, maple trees can vary widely from one species to the next. They can be identified by the bark, leaves and fruit they produce.

Sugar maple

Scientific name: Acer saccharum.

The sugar maple is perhaps the most famous maple tree. Without it, breakfasts across the country would look wildly different.
Most commonly found in the Northeastern U.S. and Southeastern Canada, sugar maples are well-known as the source for the sap used to make maple syrup. Sugar maples have brown, furrowed bark, while their leaves are dark green on the topside and a lighter shade of green on the underside. This iconic North American hardwood tree is best known for its vibrant fall foliage.

Paperbark maple

Scientific name: Acer griseum.

Paperbark maple trees are easy to identify — their peeling, papery bark often looks like it is about to fall right off the tree. That bark, typically a rusty red, adds to the tree’s distinctive appearance and contrasts beautifully with the dark brown bark underneath. Paperbark maple leaves are dark green on the topside and paler and hairy on the underside. They are also good decorative maple trees. They prefer to grow in well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Its attractive green foliage in spring and summer, pretty colors in the fall color and the stunning bark in the winter makes it beautiful in every season.

Red maple

Scientific name: Acer rubrum

Red maples are one of the most common trees across the Eastern U.S. The red maple gets its name from the colour of its twigs and leaf stems. They are some of the best maple trees for fall foliage.
Red maple leaves are a dull green color with silvery, hairy undersides. As red maples mature, their bark transitions from light gray and fairly smooth to much more furrowed and scaly.
The best thing about red maple trees is that they are highly adaptable in a wide range of soil varieties.

Silver maple

Scientific name: Acer saccharinum.

Silver maples are a hardy bunch. They can grow in many climates and environments and thrive even in places with poor soil conditions and air pollution. They also grow quickly, often to heights much taller than most maples—usually in the 50-ft. to 80-ft. range.

Silver maples can be identified by their conspicuous height and the brownish-green “fruit” they produce every spring. Silver maple are fast-growing, medium to large trees common throughout much of Eastern and Central North America. They are also adaptable and can tolerate a wide range of soil types.

Boxelder maple

Scientific name: Acer negundo.
Boxelder maples don’t resemble other maple trees. Their leaves are compound and round, nothing like the classic pointed leaf maples are known for.

Native to the Central and Eastern U.S., Boxelder trees are commonly associated with boxelder bugs, those mostly harmless but irritating household pests that are attracted to these maples.

Boxelder maples are also adaptable and can tolerate a wide range of soil types.

Bigleaf maple

Scientific name: Acer macrophyllum.

Bigleaf maples are native to the Pacific Northwest and can be easily identified by their leaves, which often grow to around 12 inches in diameter. They’re frequently covered in moss and lichen, thanks to the deep ridges in their bark that provide an ideal environment for that kind of overgrowth.

Bigleaf maple grows in deep, moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter.

FAQ

What are the most commonly planted maple trees?

The most commonly planted maple trees are Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum), Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum), Norway Maple (Acer platanoides), Amur Maple (Acer ginnala) and Boxelder (Acer negundo).

Which maple trees are best for small yards?

Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum) are the best maples for small yards. Their dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties are better than others. They prefer temperate climates with some shade.

Sources

• Arbour Day Foundation: Tree Overview: Red Maple
• The Morton Arboretum: Sugar maple
• Lake Forest College: Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple) Sapindaceae