Acer saccharum nigrum Black maple (Aceraceae) Deciduous tree

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Acer saccharum nigrum
Black maple
Deciduous tree
(1 Page of 5)

The Acer saccharum nigrum plant species is found in Eastern N. America - Quebec to Alabama, west to South Dakota and Arkansas. It is a member of the Aceraceae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Black maple. Some home gardeners know the variety as A. nigrum. Michx.f.

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

Latin Name:  Acer saccharum nigrum
Common Name:  Black maple
Family:  Aceraceae
Author:  (Michx.)Desmarais.

Known Hazards:  None known

Mature Height:  25   Mature Width:

Habitat:  Rich calcareous or alluvial woods[43]. Found in a variety of soil types, near streams, rivers and in rich woodlands, usually below 750 metres but up to 1650 metres in the south of its range[229].

Edible Uses: The sap contains reasonable quantities of sugar and can be used as a drink or concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water[1, 2, 11, 43, 34, 57, 142, 159]. The syrup is used as a sweetener on many foods. The sap can be harvested in late winter or early spring[[142], the flow is best on a warm sunny day after a frost. Trees on southern slopes in sandy soils give the best yields. It is best to make a hole about 7cm deep and about 1.3 metres above the ground[171]. Yields of 40 - 100 litres per tree can be obtained[142]. The best sap production comes from cold-winter areas with continental climates. Seed - boiled then roasted[62, 105, 159]. The seed is about 6mm long and is produced in small clusters[82]. Inner bark - cooked. It is dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread[105, 161].

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
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