SCIENTIFIC NAME: Acer saccharinum

COMMON NAME: silver maple

LEAVES: 5 lobed. 5 major veins. Serrated margins. Palmate venation. Terminal lobe is widest above the middle and narrower at the base with no serrations below the middle. Silver under the leaf. Deep sinuses.

Click here to see chart of 16 maple leaves.

BARK: Gets flaky when older and smooth when young.

FRUIT: Double samara.

OTHER: Because it often has bad aphid infestations, has invasive roots and frequent limb die back, this tree should be avoided in the landscape. Fast growing (up to 3 1/2' per year) and grows from 60' to 80' tall. Short lived (less than 100 years old), weak, and poor fall color. Easy to transplant. Still widely sold by the nursery industry. Susceptible to sooty mold. See picture below.