Acer SACCHARUM - Sugar Maple, Acer Saccharum, Hard Maple, Rock Maple.
Can be grown in bonsai style!
Maple is a genus of deciduous trees and shrubs in the Sapindaceae family, comprising over 120 species and numerous ornamental forms. Natural habitats span Europe, Asia, and North America, with the greatest species diversity observed in Eastern Asia. Maples are found in mixed forests, on mountain slopes, in river valleys, and in park landscapes. The second genus in the family, Dipteronia, is native only to China.
The plants have a rounded or broad, dense crown and large palmate-lobed leaves with radiate venation. In autumn, the leaf blades acquire vivid shades of yellow, orange, purple, or reddish-brown, making maples some of the most ornamental trees of the temperate climate. The shoots are typically light-colored, with various bark shades on young growth.
The flowers are small, yellow-green, gathered in loose inflorescences and appear in early spring - simultaneously with the leaves or slightly earlier. The fruit is a double samara consisting of two winged seeds that separate upon ripening and are dispersed by the wind. The root system is primarily shallow, which facilitates rooting but makes the plant sensitive to soil compaction.
Maple propagates by seeds and suckers. Most species are light-demanding, tolerate urban environments well, and are characterized by longevity: the average lifespan is 150-200 years, and individual specimens can reach an age of 300-500 years. Thanks to their ornamental appeal and hardiness, the genus is widely used in landscape and park gardening worldwide.
Sugar Maple is a large deciduous tree 20-30 m (66-98 ft) in height, and sometimes taller, forming a massive broad crown. The leaves are 5-lobed, dense, dark green above and lighter below, with characteristic rounded sinuses between the lobes. In autumn, they turn into vivid and diverse tones - golden, orange, scarlet, and purple, making sugar maple one of the main symbols of North America's "autumn flame". The bark on young trees is smooth and grey, becoming dark and furrowed over time.
Flowering occurs in early spring, before the appearance of leaves. The flowers are small, greenish-yellow, gathered in loose racemes on long pedicels. The fruits are paired samaras ripening in late summer; their wings are positioned at an obtuse angle and are easily dispersed by the wind.