![]() ![]() Maple trees can anchor a landscape with the larger varieties, such as the sugar maple, or you can add a breathtaking pop of color by planting the smaller varieties, such as a Japanese maple. They are known for their stately nature, adding wonderful shade in the hot summer months and beautiful springtime flowers. It is difficult to measure across the middle of a tree without cutting it down, so we often use a tape measure to measure the circumference of the tree instead.Maple trees are one of the most popular trees used for landscaping across the United States. ![]() They suggest that a tree should be at least:ĭiagram from the University of Maine Extension program Bulletin #7036 Tree scientists measure trees at 4 1/2 feet above the ground. There are also guidelines for how big a tree should be before it is tapped. This one will need all of its sap to try to keep itself happy. You can check to see if your tree is healthy by looking up! Is your tree missing bark? Does it have a lot of broken branches at the top? If the answer is yes, you should pick a different tree. We have learned that tapping a tree does not hurt it as long as it is big enough and healthy. Once you have found a maple tree, you still have to decide if it is a good idea to put a tap into the tree to collect its sap. Step 4: Decide The Tree Is a Good One for Tapping Identifying trees by their bark and twigs can be kind of tricky! You’ll have to look closely to decide if it’s the right kind of tree for collecting sap. This young Silver maple has smooth grey bark. Mature sugar maple trees have shaggy, lighter colored bark. An ash tree will have bark with ridges that make a diamond shape. Maple trees and ash trees also have different kinds of bark. The branch on the right has alternate buds. You can compare these two kinds of branches in the drawing below. First the buds are on one side of the branch, and then the other. Most kinds deciduous trees (the ones that lose their leaves) in Minnesota have alternate branches and buds. If you look closely, you will notice that maple branches have a partner on the other side of the branch. ![]() This means that their buds and branches come in pairs. Step 3: Look Closely at Tree Branches and Bark There are other ways to identify a maple tree if you have not done this yet. If you plan ahead, you can tie a ribbon around your maple trees or write down where they are in a notebook so you can remember in the winter when they do not have any leaves. Now, the only thing that is left is for you to go outside and find some maple leaves and seeds, and they will lead you right to the maple tree…except there is one problem, isn’t there? Trees do not have any leaves during March, and that is when the sap is running. Scroll down for more and to see how you did. Try it out yourself! Can you spot the maple leaves? Click on all of the maple leaf images below. Photo by Olivia Hutcherson on Unsplash.Ī maple tree also has seeds that look and fly like a helicopter. Maple trees have pointed leaves that look like hands. The easiest way to decide if a tree is a maple tree is to look at its leaves and seeds. You can also find maple trees on the edges of old pastures and in neighborhoods because people like to plant them! Step 2: Look for Maple Leaves and Helicopter Seeds They do not grow well in places where road salt or lots of traffic compact the soil. Maple trees grow best in rich, moist, well-drained soil and on hillsides. This means that there will probably be fewer maple trees in southern Minnesota 100 years from now.Įven within the northeastern United States, sugar maple trees do not grow everywhere. Scientists predict that climate change will make places farther north better for maple trees. In the future, sugar maple trees might not grow in the same places. This map from the US Geological Survey shows where sugar maple trees grow. This includes the eastern part of Minnesota where the Arboretum is located. On the map, the green parts are places where sugar maple trees grow. Sugar maple trees grow in the northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada. Step 1: Be in a Place Where Maple Trees Grow But what if you wanted to make your own? The first step would be finding a sugar maple tree. If you want a taste of maple syrup, your first stop might be the grocery store or the Arboretum Gift & Garden Store. How can I find a maple tree to tap? Image by Todd Mulvihill of the Arboretum Photographers Society ![]()
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