Woody Plants Ib

• Acer platanoides• Acer rubrum• Acer saccharinum• Acer saccharum var.

grandidentatum• Platanus occidentalis• Platanus x acerifolia

• Norway Maple• Red Maple• Silver Maple• Bigtooth Maple

• Sycamore• London Planetree

Acer platanoidesNorway Maple

• Height 40-50 Spread 30-40• High water needs, Full Sun, Oval shape• Opposite, simple, palmately veined, 5-7 lobed, long pointed

‘teeth’; • * Leaf large and broad 6” x 6” leaf• * Milky white sap from the petiole• * Large plump green to maroon buds• Dark above, paler below• Separate male & female trees• 2 samaras, divergent (180 degrees)• Yellow fall color

Acer plantanoides

• ID Features

– milky sap in petiole and leaf veins

– large, plump green-maroon buds (compare with Acer pseudoplatanus which are always green)

Acer rubrum ID

• ashy-gray bark • clusters of "Christmas ornament" flower buds

along with smaller vegetative buds • twigs produce an odor when broken • confused with Acer saccharinum. In leaf, leaf

shapes separate species. Out of leaf A. rubrum doesn't have "droop and swoop" branch tips like A. saccharinum

• old bark not as shaggy or silvery as A. saccharinum

Acer rubrum

                                                                          

Acer rubrum

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/a/hacru--br29761.jpg

Acer saccharinum Silver Maple

• Flowers: greenish or reddish in clusters before leaves

• Fruit: Largest of any maple 1 ½ - 2 ½ divergent wings. Germinate immediately

• stems when broken produce a strong unpleasant odor

• Form: Trunk usually short, dividing into several subtrunks

• "droop and swoop" branch tips

                                                                          

Vegetative buds

Flower buds

Acer saccharinum var. grandidentatum Bigtooth Maple

• Leaf: Opposite, simple and palmately veined, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long and wide, 3 (primarily) to 5 lobed, a few widely spaced rounded teeth, green above, lighter below with some fuzz.

• Flower: Small, yellow green in hanging clusters with thread like stems (1 to 2 inches long), appearing with the leaves.

• Fruit: Two-winged pair of samaras about 1 inch long, hang as a V or U shape, round seed cavity, matures in early fall.

• Twig: Slender, shiny chestnut brown, lighter lenticels, very sharply pointed brown buds, U-shaped leaf scar.

• Bark: Smooth, gray brown, fairly thin, developing numerous shallow furrows with age.

• Form: A small multi-stemmed shrub (up to 20 feet) on dry sites and more tree like and up to 45 feet on moist, cool locations.

From Arizona

• Plant Size: Generally less than 40' (12 M) in our area. Blooms in: Spring Habitat Preferred: Mountain washes, steep creek sides Photo(s) taken at: Allen Springs Rd, 9/26/99 Bloom Color: Green, dangling male and female flowers, becoming winged seeds Other Common Names: Western Sugar Maple, Canyon Maple Origin: Native Comments: The tree does produce sugary sap in the late winter

http://www.ehleringer.net/Biology_5460/veg/topics/Acergrandidentatum/Acergrandidentatum.htm

Plantanus occidentalisAmerican Sycamore

• no terminal bud

• buds are conical, 0.25" long, blunt pointed and dark reddish brown

• leaf scars completely surround the buds

• exfoliating bark

• has creamy white inner bark

• solitary fruits

Platanus occidentalis

• Leaf: Alternate, simple, palmately veined 4-8 in ovate 3-5 lobes, margins toothed

• Flower not showy, separate spherical heads

• Fruit: round achene on 3-6 in stalk. Each seed tiny winged and ½” long

• Twig: Zig Zag, very stout and orange brown

Plantanus x acerifolia

Platanus x acerifoliaLondon Planetree

• Leaf: Alternate, simple, palmately veined, 5-9 in wide & long, 3-5 lobed, coarsely toothed, medium green lighter below

• Flower: not showy separate males & females, two per stalk

• Fruit: spherical multiple achenes IN PAIRS• Twig: moderate zig zag• Bark: attractive light brown exfoliating to creamy

olive and yellow patches ‘Camouflage’

Plantanus x acerifolia

• Difference to Plantanus occidentalis:

• occidentalis has white inner bark

• X acerifolia creamy, yellow inner bark

• fruit borne singly and blunt individual seeds

• result of a cross between P. orientalis and P. occidentalis

Id by Leaf

ID by Fruit

ID by Bark

ID by Entire Tree