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Background to silver maple tree
The Latin name for silver maple trees is Acer saccharinum, but these are a common tree in the Midwests, and grow well in climate zones 3 to 9. Also, called River Maple, Creek Maple, White Maple and Silverleaf Maple, this is a relatively fast growing tree which does mean that the wood does not become as strong as say a slow-growing oak. It is a favourite amongst gardeners as a shade tree, and has an amazing lifespan of 130 years or more and tolerates and thrives in poor soil, so is very popular with residential gardeners. The leaves of the Silver Maple are deeply serrated and pale silver-gray underneath, and lighter green on top. The trunk is quite short, and branches off very quickly into sub branches, so the silver maple has low-hanging branches, which are why, it makes a good tree for shade. One of the disturbing silver maple tree facts is that it has shallow roots that have been known to grow right into buildings, causing collapses.
More silver maple tree facts
The silver maple produces a lot of seedlings, so you may find you have a veritable forest of baby maples growing in your yard unless you make a specific effort clearing round the tree, uprooting the small seedling maples before they get too big. The shallowness of the silver maples' roots mean they can get into drainage systems, so if planting a new tree be very careful where you plant it. Another one of the disturbing silver maple tree facts is its' tendency to break branches during storms. It is not a strong tree and high winds and storms will find the roads littered with torn maples, and they have caused houses a lot of damage with heavy branches crashing through windows. You should never plant any kind of tree too close to a house because the root system can crack foundations and branches close to windows are not just a storm hazard but a security risk.
Silver maple trees through the seasons
The Silver maple is the first tree to flower in the Midwest. Although the flowers are reddish (female flowers) or brownish (male flowers) tinged, and their leaves turn marigold-yellow in the fall, they are not particularly showy and do not attract much attention from people passing by the tree. The flowers of maple trees are dull red, and turn into winged seeds called "samaras", by June, and those of the Silver maple are larger than the other native maples, and the fruit is well developed by Spring time. The bark is a silvery gray, and as the tree gets older it starts to peel and hang off the trunk. Finally, the last of the interesting silver maple tree facts is that its sap is sweet, but if you break its twigs and branches the smell is terrible.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about trees and shrubs and gardening articles at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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