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Identifying Sugar Maple

Started by Left Coast Chris, October 11, 2006, 06:11:52 PM

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Left Coast Chris

Well....... I finally made it east of Nevada......for the first time.  I am in Lexington Kentucky and wanted to gather some sugar maple seeds.    Can anyone tell me how to distinguish a sugar maple from all the other maples or other look alikes?   
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

beenthere

Here is a site that should help you. Has the leaf, seed, range, etc to go by when looking. Start with the leaf and bark of the tree, then buds, and take the seeds.

sugar maple
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

tomboysawyer

Quote from: farmer77 on October 11, 2006, 06:11:52 PM
Well....... I finally made it east of Nevada......for the first time.  I am in Lexington Kentucky and wanted to gather some sugar maple seeds.    Can anyone tell me how to distinguish a sugar maple from all the other maples or other look alikes?   

How many sugar maple seeds would you like? They will be falling from the trees here in the next few weeks and I have hundreds of sugar maples on my lot.

Left Coast Chris

Tom.....

It would be geat if I could just get a dozen or so seeds.  Just want to try get six or so trees going.    I did get some maple seeds from the arboretum near Kentucky U but not sure if they are sugar maple.  If you could send some I would be very greatful.
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

pigman

If you are going to be in Lex. this Sat. I could bring you a whole bunch of sugar maple seeds. We will be there Sat. to see our three children that live in Lex. I have been to the arboretum you mentioned and it is a beautiful place.   And it is the University of Kentucky not Kentucky University. ;D :)
Bob the graduate of U of K
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

Left Coast Chris

Pigman..... yes.. U of K....sorry.  Great rivilary between U of K Wildcats and U of Louisville Cardinals.......... I guess basketball season is even more heated between the teams.  That would have been fun to see.    We had to fly back home on Friday.  Would have loved to meet you and get some seeds.  I did manage to get Red Maple, Red Oak, Burr Oak, Pin Oak, Hemlock, Black Walnut and some Buckeye.  It will be fun attempting to raise them.  Not sure of our low elevation and high summer heat (500', 110 F for two weeks typically then back to a cool 100 F for the summer norm.  We do get good winter chill though ... 4 mos of mid 30s typically as overnight low)

Beenthere....thanks for the I.D. info for Sugar Maple.  It helped greatly.  We drove back to Louisville from Lexington and stopped in the large park north of the airport but did not find any Sugar Maple.  Lots of hardwood trees though.  Beautiful country, great people.  Enjoyable trip.   We did see Churchill Downs.......impressive.

Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

SwampDonkey

farmer77, when collecting those seed, give'm a little squeeze to see that they are firm. If they aren't firm, then it's sterile. You'll notice a dimple in the seed coat. Sugar maple like most other maples has a double samarah (2 seeds joined), but are often split apart when they fall from the tree. Only one of the pair is fertilized during pollination. So, the best you can achieve is 50 % germination in ideal conditions and even less when gathering random seed without checking if they are firm. A few cool fall days and you can even germinate them in a green house or covered planting tray. They germinate like weeds.  Watch the moisture though when they germinate, as damping off fungus might kill a few.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

I was going to ask if you wanted some maple seeds and I realized it hasn't been a good sugar maple seed year here. Last year there was tons.

Probably sugar maple was not so common that far south.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

pigman

Quote from: SwampDonkey on October 14, 2006, 02:49:05 PM
I

Probably sugar maple was not so common that far south.
We have a lot of sugar maple in this area. It is not as good for lumber as that farther north. Also, because of the weather, it is not as good  an area for syrup making. :(



Bob
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

SwampDonkey

Thanks for the clarification pigman.  :) I traveled some in TN, NC, VA, and Georgia and we only saw sugar maple in the higher elevations on Federal parklands, rarely saw a yellow birch. I don't think they like the heat and dryness that oaks can stand.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Phorester


For collecting seed to plant in any area, remember that if you go more than 150 milkes or so away from where they are to be planted you run the risk of getting seed that genetically is not suited to your climate.  The trees will grow, but they will be subject to more insects and diseases and will probably not live as long as trees grown from a more local seed source.

Left Coast Chris

Pigman........... Interesting note about your sugar maple.  Is it not as dense as the trees up north because of variety or larger growth rings?  Are your sugar maples smaller and not sawable?    Im thinking that since you are in a warmer area your variety may work better in the warmer Calif summers here in the northern Sacramento valley (500 ft elev).   We grow Redwoods here but just keep alot of water on them during the summer.  I plan on putting the trees on a drip system.

Phorester........ good point.   I was aware I may not get full growth or have other issues ....just wanted to try.   Maybe it won't work at all  ???   Would the sugar maple from Vermont yield decent wood for sawing or would the Kentucky sugar maples be better?   or....... should I stick to the soft maples....Red or Silver.   Silver Maple grows unbelivably fast here...our neighbors tree was 4' diameter...huge.  We are in river loam with ground water down 12'.  If planted by a lawn...watch out...it will get huge.    I would greatly appreciate your opinion on variety.   
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

SwampDonkey

Quote from: Phorester on October 15, 2006, 10:47:22 AM

For collecting seed to plant in any area, remember that if you go more than 150 milkes or so away from where they are to be planted you run the risk of getting seed that genetically is not suited to your climate.  The trees will grow, but they will be subject to more insects and diseases and will probably not live as long as trees grown from a more local seed source.


Good point Phorester makes. Too bad alot of commercial nurseries didn't practice this. I've been experimenting with hardwood seed from other latitudes the last 5 years. Some species are quite tolerant, such as white oak. Others, like black walnut are marginal with problems in frost hardiness. Don't know yet about bitternut, but the seed I recently recieved is from near it's northern range limit.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

pigman

Quote from: farmer77 on October 15, 2006, 11:36:31 AM
Pigman........... Interesting note about your sugar maple.  Is it not as dense as the trees up north because of variety or larger growth rings?  Are your sugar maples smaller and not sawable? 
I have been told by people that sounded like they know things, that the lower quality is more to do with having less white wood and more darker wood. Maybe the log buyers just use that as an excuse to bid lower for the logs. ;)  I have sawed a few sugar maples that were in 34" on the little end. 
Bob
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

SwampDonkey

Pigman, that's about what we are faced with up here, big heart. And on trees the size your talking, most are culvert logs up here.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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