Silver Maple Tree

To define your property line, or get relief from wind, use the native Silver Maple Tree (Acer saccharinum). It grows incredibly quickly and provides dense shade for your property.

Because these trees grew so fast, they were widely sold as a suburban shade tree after World War II ended. Perhaps you grew up with one in your front yard that became a big, mature specimen.

These are very fast-growing and large-scale Maple trees. The Silver Maple grows into a large, vase-shaped tree that must have room to spread - both above and below ground! It delivers refreshing, delicious shade that spreads wide and grows tall in a hurry! It puts on a huge burst of growth, especially when young.

Silver Maple has deeply cut, pointed-lobed, bright green leaves with a silvery underside - earning them their namesake. These fine-textured leaves fill out along the branches quite densely. They will cast a deep shade that lengthens across the lawn as the sun passes overhead.

The effect of the silver coloring is striking and sets it apart from the other trees in your yard. Even it's rounded, open crown provides a lovely silhouette behind the other plantings in the landscape!

Each fall color display will be a little different. When the cool temperatures come on long and slow, you'll enjoy a golden fall color. In other years, it may develop an orange overcast.

Birds love this tree! Kids love this tree!

From playing with the winged whirlybird seeds to jumping in the big piles of leaves, Silver Maple makes a big impression on children. Pay one or two of the most enterprising a few dollars a bag for easy fall cleanup.

In late winter, you can collect some sap by tapping it, just like you can Sugar Maple trees. Boil it down to make amazing Maple syrup! (Its botanical name is saccharinum after all!)

Use it well, and love it your whole life long.

How to Use The Silver Maple Tree in the Landscape

This is one of the most popular shade trees in the United States! Our best recommendation is to use this vase-shaped, native tree further out in the yard, or in a mixed grouping with other native trees on wide, open properties. If you are interested in learning more about where to correctly plant your larger growing trees, click here for our blog and best situating their extensive root systems!

First, carefully site your Silver Maple at least 50 feet away from all structures and paved areas. It grows fast and matures into a large tree, with a root system to match. Give them the room they need to develop into their full, majestic presence. There is no other tree like it!

The adaptability of this fast growing plant makes them great for planting in windbreaks and shelterbelts in large, open areas. They'll provide quick fill in a short period of time.

Silver Maples can grow just about anywhere, including in areas that may occasionally flood. Add them along a creek bed. Use them as a featured specimen tree in a Rain Garden to filter potentially polluted runoff from streets and roofs, before it flows down the storm drain to reach local waterways.

Some people keep a stand of Silver Maples to use as a renewable source of firewood. It grows quickly to earn its keep on a permaculture lot. Game birds and songbirds both love the seeds and shelter offered by this handsome tree. Silver Maple is a tree of uncommon beauty and has a variety of uses.

• Bright Green Leaves Flash Silvery Undersides in the Slightest Breeze
• Beautiful Rounded, Oval Outline
• Fast-Growing - Can Reach 25 Feet Tall in 10 Years
• Casts Dense Shade & Great Windbreak Tree
• Attractive Bark is Smooth
• Great for Large Properties
• Long-Lived Up To 130 Years
• Native to North America

#ProPlantTips for Care

Plant your Maple in full sun or partial shade. It won't be long before they cast their own shade for you! Silver Maple will grow in just about any soil type and can tolerate wet or dry soils without missing a beat. It even puts up with tough alkaline soil.

Water carefully to establish young trees during their first few seasons. After that, they are quite self-sufficient. If you have a long period of drought, you'll want to consider adding supplemental water to protect your investment.

Silver Maple will benefit from a regular pruning schedule. Pruning can be done right after they leaf out, so the sap does not bleed from the cut.

• Full Sun Tree Handles Some Shade
• Well-Drained Soil
• Moderate Moisture Needs - Tolerates Wet or Dry Soils
• Prune Late Winter
• Cold-Hardy & Very Easy To Grow

For a big, durable, long-lived shade tree, the Silver Maple is a true gift. Add one or more to your mixed shade planting or shelterbelt. Now available at NatureHills.com!