Latin for Gardeners
November’s Native Maryland Plant
Acer saccharinum L.
(AY-ser sak-kar-EYE-num)
Common Name: Silver Maple or River Maple
Fall is a fun time to be a Watershed Steward Academy Tree Trooper - it is the best season to be planting trees. The list of Anne Arundel County resilient tree species is long and features canopy as well as understory trees – many of them keystone species. Interestingly, the native Silver Maple is noticeably not on the list. Why is that? Acer saccharinum is a fast-growing canopy tree that can provide quick and much-needed shade along city streets, it produces flowers very early in spring, offering early pollen for bees and waking insects and its winged seeds (samaras) feed squirrels, chipmunks, and birds throughout the seasons. So, what’s up?
As it turns out, Silver Maple is the fastest growing of any maple species, it can grow a whopping 3’ to 7’ in a single year! What might appear to be an advantage turns out to be a disadvantage if planted near a home or other structure. These branches are very brittle and particularly susceptible to storms, high winds, and ice. In addition, the shallow roots can lift sidewalks and foundations making them unwanted trees in most home landscapes; these same roots make it difficult to grow other plants beneath them. Another uncommon deterrent? If you scratch a young twig of an Acer saccharinum you will find they emit a distinct, unpleasant odor. Yikes!
Silver maples are found across our county but if we look at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Native Plant Guide we were all provided as Master Gardeners, Naturalists, or Stewards, we learn that they are not a Coastal Plain species, rather they occur naturally in the Mountain and Piedmont regions. Found in floodplains and even river bottoms, this species was planted in our county by landscapers and homeowners looking for a fast-growing tree to bring instant green, and shade to communities. You can now also find them in our parks where they readily reseed and are easily identified by looking at their sharply pointed lobed leaves with silver undersides and their flaky, textured, gray to silvery-gray bark. Understanding the behaviors of plants helps us sight them properly - somewhere they can thrive and not become undesirable.
November is an impactful month for Tree Troopers and for stewards nationwide - people working on environmental projects and raising community awareness. Beginning with National Ecology Day on November 1st, a day to shine a light on the ecological sciences and encourage people to examine and lower their impact on our natural resources. Midway through the month on November 17th the nation celebrates National Take a Hike Day, reminding each of us to get out and enjoy the beauty and benefits of a hike on any of our many trails, rejoicing in the wonders of our natural world. At the end of the month, we celebrate Thanksgiving by gathering, enjoying food from the Earth and giving thanks for the many blessings we share, most importantly this magnificent planet and her blue skies.
Alison Milligan – MG/MN 2013
Watershed Steward Class 7/Anne Arundel Tree Trooper
Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP)
alison@lifewithnativeplants.org