Black sugar maple
Acer saccharum subsp. nigrum

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

There are about 120-150 Acer species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. Naturally found in the USA and Canada, in valleys usually below 750 metres but up to 1650 metres in the south of its range. It can tolerate a range of soils. When trees are dormant they can withstand temperatures to -45°C. They are most commonly on broad flat flood plains. It suits hardiness zones 4-8.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Canada, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The sap of the tree is used as a source of sugar. It produces Maple syrup. The inner bark can be cooked, dried, ground into flour then used to thicken soups. The seeds with the wings removed can be boiled and eaten.

Edible parts

Sap, seeds, bark

How it is grown

Seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours then kept cold at 0-8°C for 2-4 months to assist them to grown. Seed can be sown fresh if green seeds are used. Layering or cuttings can be used.

Trees grow rapidly for their first 25 years in the wild, but then slow down and only occasionally live for more than 200 years

Its other names

Local names

Black maple, Rock maple

Synonyms

Acer nigrum F. Michx.;