Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is a large deciduous tree prized for its colorful autumn display and its role as a source of maple syrup. Dark green leaves turn vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red in fall, while gray bark becomes rough and furrowed with age.

Use as a shade tree or specimen in a spacious yard, park, or woodland planting. Give it ample room to develop a broad mature crown.

Growing details

• Plant type: Deciduous shade tree
• Origin: Northeastern North America
• Hardiness: USDA zones 3–8
• Light: Full sun to part sun
• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soil
• Foliage: Dark green, turning yellow, orange, and red in fall

Care and landscape use

Water regularly, especially during dry periods. Drought in full sun can contribute to leaf scorch. Prune in late summer or early fall to help avoid sap bleeding.

Watch for Verticillium wilt, anthracnose, cankers, leaf spot, and tar spot. Potential pests include aphids, borers, and scale.

Use in large naturalized areas, woodland gardens, or as a specimen shade tree. Pair with carex, St. John's wort, or inland sea oats for contrasting textures beneath or near the tree.

Image credits: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, Acer saccharum JPG01, CC BY-SA 2.5; James St. John, sugar maple trees in fall colors, Ohio State University Newark campus, 17 October 2014; Superior National Forest, Acer saccharum 1-jgreenlee (5098070608), CC BY 2.0; mlwalker, Acer saccharum Homewood Cemetery, CC BY 2.0. Plants naturally vary in appearance and may differ from the images shown.