# Maple tree i.d. without leaves



## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Hi folks, 

I was wondering if there is a sure fire way to identify maples (I'm tapping trees in Feb/Mar for syrup making) by the bark or tree shape? I marked a few maples earlier this fall when the leaves were still on. However, I want to mark a few more, and with the leaves off I can't really get a positive i.d. 

Any tips would be appreciated. I'm looking forward to pancakes and venison breakfast sausage covered with Michigan maple syrup!


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## tgafish (Jan 19, 2001)

You should have asked ten years ago and I would have been able to tell you exactly what to look for. While earning a Wildlife degree I took a class that dealt with specifically that. You can tell from 4 main indicators which are branch affliation, bark type, bud characteristics, and the look of where the leaves used to be.

Unfortunately I forgot the tell tale signs. It was basically a process of elimination as you went through the signs almost like a flow chart.

The one thing I think I remember was maples are one of the few that have branches that are opposite one another. That is the branchs are directly across from one another. This eliminates 80% of the tree world. Take a branch off of the ones that you marked and compare it to any tree you see with branches directly across from one another with smooth bark. If the buds and old leave connection points look similar, go ahead and tap it.

You can identify trees down to the actual species with this method


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## Youper (Jul 8, 2001)

Are you trying to differetiate maples from each other, or maples from non-maples? The bark on redmaples has a shaggier appearance than sugarmaples. It seems to me that you can make syrup from maples other than sugarmaples, but your yield and/or taste will be off.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Youper, 

I am trying to identify maples from non-maples. I am tapping maples in a grove of mixed oak, hickory, cherry, maple and some others I can't identify, which I think is basswood. 

Oaks and hickories are easy to identify. The oaks still have some leaves hanging on, the shagbark hickory is unmistakeable. The cherry is also easy to i.d. What is giving me trouble is basswood trees have similar bark as red maples. Also, sugar maples have similar bark as ash trees. Does this sound right?


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## treeman (Mar 18, 2002)

There are 5 species of trees with opposite branching habit.
1. maples
2. ash
3. flowering dogwood 
4. buckeye
5. horse chestnut

Flowering dogwood is a small tree found in the understory and the buds look like candy kisses. You will not confuse this with a maple. Horse chestnut has a very large dark colored sticky terminal bud on a very large twig. Buckeye is similar except there are bud scales on the terminal buds. Bud scales with a keel are ohio buckeye and those without keel are sweet or yellow buckeye. These trees will also not be confused with a maple or ash. Ash have bark which has a somewhat distinct diamond pattern somewhat like a file. Usually the bark has a greyish cast as opposed to a boxelder which has a browner cast. Twigs on ash trees are stout while they are slender on maples. Buds on ash trees are small, roundish and close to the twig. Buds on maples are not like this. Fruit will persist into the winter on some maples and ashes. Leaves on the ground under the trees are also a good indicator. Basswoods are also fairly easy to identify by their buds and the fact that they also usually hold a bract with a hanging fruit attached through the winter. Basswoods will usually be found near water. Hope this helps.


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## tgafish (Jan 19, 2001)

Treeman just filled in the info which I had forgotten. Should be all set now kroppe. 

Treeman, what is the proper name of the area where the leave used to be attached to the twig. I can't remeber that for the life of me.


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## treeman (Mar 18, 2002)

That is correct. Within the leaf scar are smaller scars called vascular bundle scars. Glad I could help.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Thanks alot everyone. I found this web page, it seems to be excellent but it would be helpful if they had photographs of the bark and not line art sketches. 

http://www.massmaple.org/treeID.html


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Click on the thumbnails http://www.canr.uconn.edu/plsci/mbrand/a/aceacc/aceacc1.html


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