5 Maple Trees In Kentucky (Photos and Care Tips)

In the middle of Kentucky’s varied landscapes, maple trees add bright colors to the scene and are very important to the environment. 

There are many kinds of maple trees in the state, from the native sugar maple (Acer saccharum) that turns bright colors in the fall to the hardy non-native Norway maple (Acer platanoides) that lines the streets of cities. 

This article goes into detail about the common maple trees in Kentucky. It talks about both native species that have deep roots in the area’s past and non-native species that have found a home in the state’s urban jungles. 

So, let’s begin.

1. Sugar Maple

• Common Name: Sugar Maple
• Scientific Name: Acer saccharum
• Mature Height: 50-70 feet (15-21 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: Greenish-yellow flower
• Fall Color: Orange to red

The sugar maple, formally known as Acer saccharum, is a well-known forest tree endemic to eastern North America, ranging from Eastern Canada to Georgia and west to Texas. It is notably common in Kentucky, where it brightens the fall landscape with yellow and red hues. T

he species is well-known for its superb form and dazzling multicolored display throughout the autumn season. Even in the dead of winter, its unusual shape and bark make it extremely beautiful. 

The sugar maple is a huge, slow-growing tree with a rounded, dense crown that can grow to heights of 60 to 75 feet in cultivation and up to 120 feet in the wild. Its leaves are 3 to 6 inches long and wide, medium to dark green on top and pale underneath, and have five lobes. These leaves change beautiful hues of crimson, orange, and gold in the fall, adding to the tree’s visual attraction.

Clusters of small, yellow-green flowers bloom on the sugar maple in April, followed by the development of its fruit: a 1- to 134-inch samara that is released in the fall. The tree grows best in well-drained, moist, fertile soil and is frequently seen in old-growth forests. 

When given ample space, it makes a wonderful choice for lawns or parks, but it is sensitive to heat stress, drought, road salt, compacted soils, and constricted root zones. Verticillium wilt, leaf burn, and girdling roots are all common problems. 

The sugar maple is also sought for its high-quality wood, which is referred to as “hard maple” in the timber business. The wood is light brown and close-grained, with varieties such as “curly maple” and “bird’s eye maple” used for specialist products such as rifle stocks and violins. 

Furthermore, the sugar maple is well-known for its sap, which contains 2 to 6% sugar, making it an excellent source for maple syrup production. This natural sweetener was historically employed by Native Americans and later colonists, underlining the sugar maple’s cultural and gastronomic value.

2. Red Maple

• Common Name: Red Maple
• Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
• Mature Height: 40-60 feet (12-18 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: Tiny red hanging flower
• Fall Color: Red to orange

The Red Maple is easily identified because some of its parts are red all year. It grows well in both wet and dry conditions, but prefers acidic soils. The tree is popular for landscaping because of its aesthetic appeal throughout the year.

Red Maple is a medium to fast-growing tree that normally grows to 40 to 60 feet in height, but can reach 120 feet in the wild. Its crown is uneven and rounded, with a variable form. In March and April, the tree produces clusters of small red blooms, which are followed by crimson winged fruits known as samaras. The leaves have three or five lobes and unfold reddish before turning green on the underside. The foliage changes hues from yellow to scarlet in the fall.

Red Maple loves slightly acidic, wet soils and exhibits chlorosis owing to manganese deficiency on alkaline soils. To some extent, it can withstand ozone and sulfur dioxide. It is, however, subject to transplant stress, flat-headed borer infestation, leafhoppers, Verticillium wilt, and sun scald. Notably, its shallow root system competes with adjacent plants for water.

Red Maple varieties include ‘Armstrong,’ an upright type that grows quicker than other upright maples but has a less dramatic fall color. ‘Columnare’ (or ‘Bowhall’) is an upright-growing variety that is ideal for small settings. ‘October Glory’ is well-known for its late-season orange to red hue, while ‘Red Sunset’ is a well-known shade tree with consistent red coloration.

Pioneers utilized Red Maple bark to make ink and colors in the past. In the lumber sector, the wood is known as “soft maple” and has been used for furniture and veneer. The tree can also be tapped for sap, however it is not as productive as sugar maple.

3. Boxelder Maple

• Common Name: Boxelder
• Scientific Name: Acer negundo
• Mature Height: 30-50 feet (9-15 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: Tiny reddish flower
• Fall Color: Yellow

The Boxelder Maple, scientifically known as Acer negundo, is a North American deciduous tree. This adaptable tree can be found in a wide range of habitats, from riverbanks and floodplains to urban settings. 

The Boxelder Maple, unlike other maples, has complex leaves with three to seven leaflets that are light green in the spring and turn pale yellow in the fall. When the tree is young, the bark is grayish-brown and smooth, but as it ages, it becomes rough and furrowed.

The Boxelder Maple produces little, inconspicuous flowers in the spring that are frequently purplish or yellow-green in color. These blossoms give way to paired, flying seeds called samaras, which are unique to maple trees. The tree grows quickly and can reach heights of 30 to 50 feet, with a rounded crown that produces moderate to thick shade.

The Boxelder Maple is well-known for its adaptability to a wide range of soil types and conditions, including poorly drained or alkaline soils. It is also drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for landscaping in a variety of climates. It is frequently planted in urban settings, along streets, and in parks due to its flexibility.

While not as well known for its wood as other maples, the Boxelder Maple has considerable value in carpentry and is often used for small objects and fuelwood. Although its sap is not as sweet as that of sugar maples, it can be utilized to make low-sugar maple syrup.

The Boxelder Maple is notable for its propensity to generate milky sap containing a chemical component called hypoglycin. Because this substance is poisonous to horses and other livestock, it is critical to use caution when planting Boxelder Maples in places where animals graze.

4. Silver Maple

• Common Name: Silver Maple
• Scientific Name: Acer saccharinum
• Mature Height: 75-100 feet (23-30.5 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Non-Native
• Flowers: Tiny red dangling flower
• Fall Color: Yellow to orange

The Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) is a huge, fast-growing deciduous tree endemic to North America. It’s most frequent in riparian zones, along stream banks, and damp lowland places. One of its most distinguishing characteristics is its deeply lobed, palmate leaves, which are light green on top and silvery-white underneath. In the fall, these leaves turn a pale yellow or brownish-yellow, adding to the tree’s visual appeal.

Silver Maples are well-known for their rapid growth, frequently reaching heights of 50 to 80 feet and occasionally exceeding 100 feet. The tree’s crown is large and spreading, providing plenty of shade. The tree produces small, red or yellow blooms in tight clusters in early spring, before the leaves develop. These unassuming blossoms provide an early nectar supply for bees and other pollinators.

The Silver Maple produces remarkable winged seeds, or samaras, that are paired and often described to as “helicopters” because they spin as they fall to the ground. Younger trees have smooth, gray bark that darkens and develops furrows as they grow.

Because this maple species is adaptable to a variety of soil types and can withstand periodic floods, it is a popular choice for planting in urban settings and beside streams. While Silver Maple wood is soft and less valued than that of other hardwoods, it has been employed for specific woodworking applications such as crates and pallets.

The Silver Maple is often recognized for its capacity to give quick shade and enhance the aesthetic beauty of landscapes due to its rapid growth and great size. Its vast root system, on the other hand, can be invasive, perhaps causing problems with surrounding structures and utilities.

The Silver Maple is distinguished by its silvery-white undersides of leaves, quick growth, and adaptability to many settings. Its shade-giving properties and distinctive leaves make it a popular choice for landscaping, especially in places with continuous moisture.

5. Norway Maple

• Common Name: Norway Maple
• Scientific Name: Acer platanoides
• Mature Height: 40-60 feet (12-18 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Non-native
• Flowers: Large green flower
• Fall Color: Yellow, orange

Norway Maple is a deciduous tree native to Europe and portions of Asia. It was introduced to North America as an ornamental tree and has subsequently spread over urban and suburban environments. This medium to large-sized tree grows to heights of 40 to 50 feet, sometimes greater, and has a dense, rounded crown.

Norway Maple leaves are palmately lobed with five distinct lobes and are a deep green color. The leaves of the Norway Maple lack the white undersides found in other maple species, such as the Silver Maple. The leaves change vivid shades of yellow, orange, or red in the fall, bringing a dash of color to the autumn scene.

The Norway Maple blooms in clusters of little yellow-green flowers in early spring. These flowers give home to distinctive paired samaras, or flying seeds, that are frequently angled in a V shape. When young, the bark of the Norway Maple is smooth and gray, but it darkens and develops furrows as the tree matures.

The endurance of the Norway Maple to urban environments, such as air pollution and compacted soils, is one of its distinguishing characteristics. Because of its versatility, it is a popular choice for city street planting and beautification. However, because of its flexibility, it can outcompete native plants, making it a threat in some natural ecosystems.

Norway Maple wood is resistant and sturdy, making it useful for a variety of woodworking applications. Furthermore, the tree is tapped for its sap in some areas, however its sap is often lower in sugar concentration than that of sugar maples.

Common Maple Trees In Kentucky – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Let’s go through some of the most commonly asked questions on the internet regarding maple trees in Kentucky.

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Sources

The Regional Gardening team makes sure that the information in our articles is accurate by only using sources that are known to be trustworthy. Some of these sources are peer-reviewed journals from government agencies, well-known universities, and scientific research organizations.

1. Common Kentucky Trees, Department of Forestry & Natural Sources, University of Kentucky
2. Native Trees Of Kentucky, Department of Horticulture, University of Kentucky.
3. Trees & Shrubs of Kentucky, Book By Mary E. Wharton and Roger W. Barbour, University Press Of Kentucky