Types of Maple Trees: Common Maples of North America

Maple trees belong to the genus Acer in the plant family Sapindaceae. There are more than 100 different species of maple tree, each boasting its own unique varieties. Maple trees are mostly native to Asia, though some originate from Europe, northern Africa, and North America. Most maples are deciduous trees; however, some varieties that are native to the Mediterranean region are evergreen.

Maple trees are bountiful in the United States and Canada (a maple leaf is even featured prominently on the Canadian flag). Maple tree leaves come in a variety of leaf shapes, though most have five to seven points. Some maple trees produce winged fruits called samaras, which are also known as maple keys.

In total, there are twelve species of maple tree native to North America. However, there are six main maple tree species that are commonly found throughout the continent.

1. 1. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum): The sugar maple tree is beloved for producing maple syrup and stunning fall foliage. They are abundant in the northeastern United States. Sugar maple leaves are bright green throughout the growing season until fall when they turn to a kaleidoscope of green, red, yellow, and orange. They typically reach heights of eighty to 110 feet tall. Some common sugar maple cultivars include ‘Green Mountain,’ ‘Legacy,’ and ‘Chalkbark’ sugar maple.
2. 2. Red maple (Acer rubrum): The red maple is the most prolific variety of maple tree in North America. It's named for the red bark covering new limbs and leaf stems. The tops of its leaves are green, while the undersides take on a silvery hue. Come autumn, its leaves turn a vibrant red color. Red maples are a common landscape tree. They reach a mature height of roughly fifty feet tall. Some common red maple tree cultivars include ‘Red Sunset,’ ‘Ruby Frost,’ and ‘October Glory’.
3. 3. Silver maple (Acer saccharinum): Silver maples have an exceptionally fast growth rate and are commonly planted as shade trees. They get their name from the silvery undersides of their leaves. They reach a mature height of about eighty feet tall and have a shallow root system. Their leaves are green throughout the growing season and turn a pale yellow in the fall.
4. 4. Boxelder maple (Acer negundo): Boxelders may not look like maples because they produce compound leaves that bear no resemblance to the pointed leaf shape classically associated with maple leaves. Boxelders are plentiful in the central United States and typically reach a mature height of about 80 feet tall. Their leaves turn a golden yellow color in the fall.
5. 5. Paperbark maple (Acer griseum): Paperbark maples are so-named for their peeling, papery bark. Their leaves are dark green with undersides covered in fuzzy hairs. In the fall, their leaves turn a scarlet red color. It has a slow growth habit but will reach a mature height of twenty-five feet tall.
6. 6. Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum): Bigleaf maples (also known as Oregon maples) are native to the Pacific Northwest and are renowned for their gargantuan size—they can grow to be 150 feet or taller. In early spring, they produce small yellow flowers on the ends of their twigs. Their dark green, deeply lobed leaves turn yellow in the fall.

Consider some common maple tree varieties you may find at your local garden center or nursery.

1. 1. Japanese maple trees: The Japanese maple tree is a small deciduous tree that grows as a single-stemmed tree or a multiple-stemmed shrub. Native to Japan, the Japanese maple grows a broad crown with hand-sized maple leaves that have five or seven points. The Japanese maple is known for its fall colors, when the leaf color can turn from golden, to orange, to maroon, to reddish-brown. Dwarf varieties are ideal for bonsai. Some popular varieties of Japanese maple tree include ‘Coral Bark’ (‘Sango Kaku’), ‘Bloodgood,’ and ‘Red Dragon’.
2. 2. Black maple: Native to the midwestern United States, the black maple is considered a subspecies of sugar maple. It has a rounded crown and dense foliage that turns a beautiful golden yellow in the fall. It reaches a mature height of about 65 feet tall and tolerates most sunlight and soil conditions. It does exceptionally well in cold climates, thriving in USDA hardiness zones four to eight.
3. 3. Amur maple: The Amur maple can be grown as a deciduous shrub or small tree. It boasts vibrant fall colors with its red and orange leaves. In the spring, Amur maples bloom small, fragrant, white flowers. Reaching mature heights of about thirty feet tall, Amur shrubs are often planted as windbreaks or privacy screens. Despite all of these attractive qualities, Amur maples are considered invasive in many U.S. states. Only plant Amur maples in permitted areas where seedlings can be controlled or eradicated.
4. 4. Vine maple: The vine maple is an attractive shrub or small tree so-named for its tendency to vine to companion plants when growing in shady areas. Its green spring foliage is peppered with red flourishes. In full sun areas, vine maples will reach a mature height of thirty feet tall. When planted in partial shade, they stay a bit smaller. In the spring, they produce small, purple flowers. Their green leaves give way to beautiful fall colors.
5. 5. Norway maple: Norway maple trees thrive in partial shade to full sun and will tolerate a wide range of soil types. They have a columnar growth habit and beautiful foliage that turns golden yellow in the fall. The Norway maple tree was introduced to North America in the 1700s for its usefulness as a shade tree. However, it has since become an invasive species in several states as it crowds out other native vegetation. Consult your local horticulture guidelines before planting.
6. 6. Hedge maple: Hedge maple, or field maple, is a small deciduous tree commonly grown in urban environments. Its yellow-green leaves turn red in the fall. It reaches a mature height of twenty-five to thirty feet tall. It is considered invasive in some areas throughout North America.
7. 7. Sycamore maple: Sycamore maples get their name due to their leaves, which are shaped similarly to a sycamore tree’s leaves. Sycamore maples have a dense, rounded crown with deeply lobed, dark green leaves. Unlike most maples, their leaves stay mostly green throughout the fall. They have a high tolerance for salt and are often planted near the coasts or along roadways. They reach a mature height of sixty feet, though some can get as tall as one hundred feet.
8. 8. Striped maple: Striped maple gets its name for its vertically striped bark. It's also sometimes called goosefoot maple after its unique three-point leaf shape that resembles the webbed foot of a goose. Striped maples are small trees that rarely surpass thirty feet tall. Their green leaves turn golden yellow in the fall.

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