References: The National Arbor Day Foundation https://www.arborday.org/
Signs Designed by Amanda Parsons, Natural Resources and Recreation Management student.
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
The Sugar Maple tree’s leaves turn bright orange, red or yellow in the fall. It grows to 75 feet tall and has a full round shape. The leaves have five points and the tree produces winged fruit that are commonly called helicopters. The wood is highly valuable for furniture due to its beauty. Because of the wood’s hardiness it is also used for bowling pins and baseball bats.
The sweetest thing about the Sugar Maple tree is that you can make syrup from its sap. This sap is taken from the tree by tapping into the bark through a hole. It then drains out of the tree and into a bucket. The sap is boiled until the water contained within the sap evaporates. Once the boiling process is complete you have maple syrup. It takes 40 liters of sap to make one liter of syrup.
The sugar maple tree is so loved that the Canadians put the leaf on their national flag. It has also been used on a stamp as well as inspiration for many artists. The Native American’s used the tree’s resources long before Europeans settled here. They would often use the syrup as a commodity for trade. Whatever its use you can’t deny the beauty and versatility of the Sugar Maple tree.
References:
- Caffery, S. (2007). Trees: East. New York: Collins
- Cornell University Maple Program Homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2014, from http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu
- Maple, Suger Acer Saccharum. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2014, from http://www.arbourday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?id=14