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Acer saccharinum L.

Silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassRosidaeRoses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
OrderSapindalesIncludes citrus; maples, horse-chestnuts, lychees and rambutans; mangos and cashews; frankincense and myrrh; mahogany and neem
FamilySapindaceaeSoapberry family
GenusAcerMaples
SpeciessaccharinumI think this means “kind of sweet”—about half as sweet as sugar maple

About plant names...

Silver maple is a native of eastern North America.

Identification: Silver maples reach 49-82' (15-25 m) in height, with a maximum of 115' (35 m). Bark is gray, smooth on younger trees, shaggy on older trees. Leaves are similar to those of the closely related red maple, but they are divided into narrower lobes, more deeply notched, and are silvery-white on the undersides. They are about 3-6 ⨉ 2-4½" (8-16 ⨉ 6-12 cm). In the fall, leaves remain green or turn greenish yellow, sometimes with reddish tints. Several small greenish-yellow flower clusters occur near the ends of twigs, spaced 1-3" (2.5-7.6 cm) apart. As with other maples, fruits are winged pairs opposite each other. These pairs are the largest of any maple, about 1¼" (3.2 cm), forming an angle between about 45-90°.

Online References:

The Vanderbilt University Bioimages web site

Wikipedia

The USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America site

The University of Connecticut Plant Database

The Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

References:

Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, p. 336

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 9 × 6" (22 × 14 cm)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

Female flowers. · 3/14/2012 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Mary­land
≈ 2 × 2½" (5.9 × 6.2 cm) ID is uncertain

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

9/19/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 11 × 7" (27 × 18 cm)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 15 × 10" (39 × 26 cm)

Acer dasycarpum Ehrh.

Acer saccharinum L. var. laciniatum Pax

Acer saccharinum L. var. wieri Rehder

Argentacer saccharinum (L.) Small

 

Acer saccharinum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 6 Sep 2023.

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Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 14 × 9" (35 × 23 cm)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 24 × 16" (62 × 41 cm)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

Female flowers. · 3/14/2012 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Mary­land
≈ 2½ × 2½" (7.3 × 6.7 cm) ID is uncertain

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

Female flowers. · 3/14/2012 · Susan and Raimond’s, Phoenix, Mary­land
≈ 4½ × 3" (11 × 7.9 cm) ID is uncertain

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

6/4/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 15 × 10" (39 × 26 cm)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple, creek maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, white maple, water maple)

6/30/2023 · Harpers Ferry, West Vir­ginia

Range:

About this map...