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''Acer nigrum'', the black maple, is a species of
The black maple's mature height ranges from .
Winter ID pictures
Interactive Distribution Map of ''Acer nigrum''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q9578380 nigrum Trees of Northern America
maple
''Acer'' is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated si ...
closely related to '' A. saccharum'' (sugar maple), and treated by some authors as a subspecies
In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...
of it, as ''Acer saccharum'' subsp. ''nigrum''.
Identification can be confusing due to the tendency of the two species to form hybrids. The simplest and most accurate method for distinguishing between the two trees is the generally three-lobed leaves of the black maple versus the generally five-lobed leaves of the sugar maple. The leaves of the black maple also tend to have a drooping appearance. Other differences that are not as pronounced include darker, more deeply grooved bark, slightly smaller seeds, a downy underside, and thicker petioles. Hybrids are intermediate in their characteristics.
Distribution
The geographic range of ''A. nigrum'' is slightly more limited than the sugar maple, encompassing much of theMidwestern United States
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
, portions of the Eastern United States, and the southeast of Canada in southern Ontario.
Description
The black maple's mature height ranges from .
Uses
This species is used similarly to the ''A. saccharum'', for timber as hard maple, for landscaping, and formaple syrup
Maple syrup is a sweet syrup made from the sap of maple trees. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before winter; the starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap in late winter and early spring. Ma ...
production.
See also
* List of foods made from mapleReferences
External links
Winter ID pictures
Interactive Distribution Map of ''Acer nigrum''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q9578380 nigrum Trees of Northern America