Acer saccharum

Acer saccharum is a species of deciduous broadleaf flowering plants (in the Sapindaceae or Soapberry family), native to east and central North America. Acer saccharum is remarkable for its autumn colour, ranging from vibrant reds to purples and yellows. It bears clusters of small yellow-green flowers in spring, which develop into winged fruit (samaras), paired in a horseshoe shape.

The leaves of Acer saccharum have five lobes with round-ended points, only one per lobe; in comparison, the leaves of Acer platanoides have sharp points, often more than one per lobe, and its samaras are widely angled, while the lobes of Acer pseudoplatanus leaves have blunt points, and its samaras are angled at 90 degrees or less. Acer saccharum and Acer saccharinum are similar names, and the species are native in similar regions, but they can be distinguished quite readily.

Acer saccharum is famous for producing the sap used in maple syrup. The tree can be tapped for syrup when it is about 40 years old. It takes about 30 litres of sap to make one litre of syrup. Canadian producers supply a global market with more than 45 million litres of syrup annually. A solid red stylised 11-pointed maple leaf appears in outline on the flag of Canada, similar to the Acer saccharum leaf but not intended to be botanically specific.

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