Acer saccharinum

Common Names

Silver Maple, Soft Maple, River Maple, White Maple, Silverleaf Maple, Swamp Maple, Water Maple

Summary

Silver Maple is a native eastern North American deciduous shade tree with a rounded crown, typically 50–80 ft tall and 40–60 ft wide, that grows rapidly and tolerates moist to wet soils along watercourses. Distinctive features include deeply lobed leaves with silvery undersides and green uppers, smooth gray bark when young that becomes shaggy with age, inconspicuous spring flowers followed by winged samaras, and yellow fall color.

Cultivation and uses: hardy in USDA zones 3a–9b, grows in full sun to partial shade and moist to wet soils, with tolerance for poor soils and a wide range of pH. Shallow, spreading roots can disturb sidewalks and septic systems; wood is weak and branches are prone to breakage in wind or ice. It self-seeds along moist ground and is frequently propagated by seed or softwood cuttings; commonly used as a shade tree, street tree, and in rain gardens or riparian restoration near water.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

60-80 feet

Spread

40-60 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained soil.

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral, tolerant of a wide range of pH

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green on the upper surface; silvery white underneath.

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

2–7 feet per year, fast-growing

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, birds, butterflies, other pollinators