SILVER MAPLE - Acer saccharinum, Linn.
UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS, silver maple is a bottomland tree while its cousin the sugar or hard maple tree is essentially a hill tree. Although there are several other maples in Missouri, only silver maple is commercially important. Sugar maple, so valuable in northern states, is usually too defective to be used in Missouri. Because of its rapid growth and ascending (often interlacing) branches, silver maple has been widely planted as an ornamental on dry soils. It grows rapidly at first but is frequently beset by many insects and diseases. Ice storms have wrecked many beautiful maples.
The silvery underside of the leaves account for this tree's name. In a breeze the whole crown appears silvery green. The leaves are deeply lobed and almost lace-like. With flattened stalks they flutter with the slightest breeze. The deep lobes and V-shaped bases of the leaves help distinguish them from the other maples.
The reddish, glossy twigs are capped by rather blunt lobes. Clustered round blossom buds occur along the sides of older twigs. They bloom in the very early spring. Rather large, winged seeds occur in pairs. Children for decades have used these immature seeds as one-shot squirt guns and whistles.
While it is smooth and gray on young trees, the bark becomes scaly on old trees.
Soft maple lumber is a popular furniture wood. The wood is light in color, strong for its weight, takes fasteners and glues well, and takes a satiny finish. It can be stained to imitate many other woods. It is used as a finish piece and in overstuffed furniture.
