Scientific name: Acer saccharinum
Common name: Silver Maple
Native: Yes
Native range: Native to eastern North America, but has been introduced as an ornamental to the western United States and parts of Europe [1,2,3].
Distribution in North America: Click to view the USDA Plants Database page for A. saccharinum.
USDA Zones: 3-9 [5]
Maximum age: Can live up to 130 years [2,3].
Ecology: Squirrels rely on the buds in the late winter/early spring, when other resources are depleted [2,3]. The seeds are important forage for a variety of birds and small mammals [1,2]. Baltimore orioles appear to prefer it for nesting [1], while its tendency to form cavities are an important shelter for cavity-nesting wildlife [2].
Ethnobotany: It is widely used in urban plantings due to its rapid growth and hardiness [1,3]. Indigenous Americans use silver maple for a variety of medicinal purposes, as well as a sweetener for foods and a source of building material for furniture and tools [4].