Native Maple Trees In California: 4 Types To Know
Maple trees are renowned for their vibrant fall foliage, syrup production, and ornamental value.
If you are a Californian looking to add some of them to your backyard, you are in luck. Although maple trees are more commonly associated with the Northeastern United States and Canada, several native maple species can be found in California.
In this article, we will explore the 4 types of native maple trees in California landscapes along with their characteristics and habitats.
So, let’s get started.
1. Mountain Maple
- Scientific Name: Acer glabrum
- Common Name: Mountain Maple
- Mature Height: 15ft
- Flowers: Greenish yellow
- Blooming Season: Late spring – early summer
The Mountain Maple, also known as Acer glabrum, is a stunning and unique tree that can be found in western North America.
It is a small tree normally growing up to 15 feet tall, with a rounded crown and branches that reach down close to the ground.
This gorgeous tree flourishes in rocky slopes and canyons at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 9,000 feet. In California, it can be seen near riverbanks and in montane forests, adding to the wonderful scenery of the area.
Its leaves are deciduous and range from 0.75 to 1.5 inches in breadth, with a captivating green color on the upper surface and a gray hue on the lower side. The leaves are also palmate, which means that they have three main lobes and two smaller ones, making them an attractive sight.
The Mountain Maple blooms in late spring or early summer with bunches of greenish-yellow flowers that can light up the landscape. The flowers are followed by yellow or red double samaras, which are winged fruits that can be from 0.4 to 1 inch in length.
The wings of the samaras diverge at oblique angles, giving them a unique appearance that adds to the tree’s appeal.
The Mountain Maple is a complex species, with different varieties found in different regions. One variety, for example, has white twigs and small leaves and is found in desert mountains, while another has 5-lobed leaves and samaras with wings that spread at an approximately 45° angle.
2. Vine Maple
- Scientific Name: Acer circinatum
- Common Name: Vine Maple
- Mature Height: 35ft
- Flowers: Greenish white
- Blooming Season: April / May
If you’re looking for the showiest native maple trees in California, then Vine Maple is the first option to consider. This stunning tree is a multistemmed, straggly shrub or small tree that grows to be around 10 meters (35 feet) tall.
The species can be seen from southern Alaska to the mountains of northern California at elevations from sea level to 1,500 m (5,000 ft). It grows along coastal and montane forests and woodlands, inhabiting stream banks in deep shade, and it has an important role in the local ecosystems.
Its stems may be quite crooked and spreading, but they can root at the nodes, creating a unique sight. The crowns of Vine Maple are broad to rounded and uneven, giving it a charmingly chaotic look.
The leaves of this captivating plant are a pale green hue and have a thin, almost round shape. They measure 5 cm (2 in.) to 12.5 cm (5 in.) wide, and they’re palmate with 5 to 9 lobes and acute, sharply serrated margins.
The flowers of Vine Maple form rounded clusters of 2 to 10, blooming in April or May as new leaves emerge. The petals are a delightful greenish-white, and the fruits are reddish double samaras.
This ornamental plant is highly desired, and it’s easy to see why. Vine Maple is renowned for its autumnal beauty, as the leaves turn bright shades of yellow, orange, or red, bringing life to the surrounding dark forests.
Vine Maple’s leaves are not only stunning but also palatable to cattle, deer, elk, and sheep. It’s an ornamental plant that’s easily propagated from seed or cuttings, making it an ideal addition to any garden or yard.
3. Bigleaf Maple
- Scientific Name: Acer macrophyllum
- Common Name: Bigleaf Maple
- Mature Height: 100ft
- Flowers: Yellowish-green
- Blooming Season: April & May
Acer macrophyllum, otherwise known as Bigleaf Maple, is an impressive, lofty, and single-stemmed tree that can reach a height of around 30 meters (100 feet). And, it is one of the most commonly found types of native maple trees in California.
When no hindrance, this tree has a comprehensive and rounded majestic crown.
This tree has straightforward, deciduous leaves organized conversely, with palmate blades of either five or three lobes, which have large and coarse teeth. The leaves can range in size from wide, up to 35 centimeters (14 inches), with the lower surface increasingly pubescent than the higher surface. The petioles are red and secrete a milky sap.
Bigleaf Maples bear stretched-out clusters of flowers called inflorescences, and the flowers can be finished or just bear stamens, with yellowish-green petals. These blooms are developed during April and May along with new leaves.
The twigs are green when young, and the bark of old trees is thick and profoundly fissured.
Bigleaf Maples are normally found developing along stream banks and in canyons, but still, they can be found in an assortment of habitats, including dry, rocky slopes as well. They range from Alaska to California, and in California, they are found in all regions except the Central Valley and deserts. The tree can develop at heights going from ocean level to 1,500 meters (5,000 feet).
4. Boxelder Maple
- Scientific Name: Acer negundo
- Common Name: Box-Elder Maple
- Mature Height: 80ft
- Flowers: Unfinished flowers
- Blooming Season: April & May
The Box-Elder, otherwise known as Acer negundo, is a small to medium-sized tree that can develop up to 24 meters (80 feet) tall.
Its wide and intermittent crown is made up of branches that are close to the ground.
The leaves of the Box-Elder are pinnately compound, opposite, and deciduous, with 3 to 7 leaflets that are each 5 to 11 centimeters long. The lower surfaces of the leaves are paler and hairier than the upper ones.
Before the leaves appear, the Box-Elder produces drawn-out, hanging clusters of unfinished flowers that bear only stamens or pistils. These unfinished flowers are produced during April and May.
The fruits are double samaras that are red when youthful and yellow when mature, with fine hairs covering their surfaces.
Boxelder is one of the native maple trees in California that are mostly found in forests and woodlands near streamsides and bottomlands.
It flourishes throughout the state, except in deserts, at elevations ranging from sea level to 1,800 meters (6,000 feet). The Box-Elder is frequently utilized as an ornamental tree in California, particularly as a street tree in the Central Valley. There are numerous cultivars of the Box-Elder.
Native Maple Trees In California – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about maple trees in California.
Can Maple trees survive in California?
Not every maple, but some of the Maple tree species can survive in the hot weather of California. Out of 128+ different types, four of them are indigenous to California landscapes and you can spot them with ease. These include Mountain Maple, Vine Maple, Bigleaf Maple, and Boxelder Maple.
Can Sugar maple and Japanese maples live in California?
While Japanese and Sugar maples typically thrive in regions with moderate temperatures, such as those found outside of California, it is still possible to find these varieties growing sparingly in some parts of the state. They are not naturalized in the state and most of those trees currently found are planted by individuals.
Does Los Angeles have any maple tree species?
Bigleaf maple trees are one of the most commonly found maple trees in Los Angeles. Other native varieties like Mountain maple and Vine maple can be found, but very sparse.
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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.
- California Forests, University Of California
- California Native Plant Society
- Native Plants, California Department Of Fish & Wildlife
- California Natural Diversity Database
