Woody > Acer > Acer saccharum > Acer saccharum subsp. nigrum
Acer saccharum
ssp. nigrum
Black Maple
Origin: Eastern and Central North America.
Mike's
Opinion
"
An A+ species, and an Ontario native at that. This tree needs room to spread its regal form and be admired from a distance. It is one of the top ten natives in my books for autumn colour. It is a class tree! Michael Dirr rates this tree as having one of the worst Autumn colurs, maybe that is because he has not seen them in Ontario in the autumn.The tree can also be tapped and produces as much syrup as A. saccharum. The wood when used in woodworking projects will be slightly yellow, more so than A. saccharum
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Sapindaceae (Aceraceae) |
| Genus |
| Acer |
| Species |
| saccharum |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Subspecies |
| nigrum |
| Synonyms |
| Acer nigrum |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 3 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 1 |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-40) - (-35) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-40) - (-30) |
| Height |
| 30 m |
| Spread |
| 15 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A majestic, large tree, with leaves wilting, giving it the appearance of suffering from the early stages of wilt. Excellent autumn colour. This subspecies has been placed on the IUCN Red List as least concern. |
| Cultivation |
| Easily cultivated on good, well drained loam soils. |
| Shape |
| A large somewhat rounded crown. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Often confused with A. saccharum and for a time was considered a subspecies. Leaves similar to A. saccharum but appear to wilt, the leaf axil is often slightly tomentose. The petiole often has more lenticels than A. saccharum. |
| Pests |
| Southwest injury due to its thin bark. I have lost a mature specimen to verticillium wilt, probably due to the roots intertwined with infected Norway Maples. Disinfect all pruning equipment before and during use. |
| Habitat |
| Climax forests of the Carolinian zone, including Southern Ontario, Canada. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Smooth, medium beige when young. Developing regular, shallow fissures and becoming light grey in colour upon ageing. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Imbricate and pubescent and slightly more swollen than its counterpart A. saccharum |
| Leaf Description |
| Broadly palmate, opposite, 7-15 cm wide , with a slight droop towards the lobes. The leaf vein axil slightly tomentose. Leaves are usually 3-5 lobed. |
| Flower Description |
| Greenish, yellow, 3-5 cm long in April-May. |
| Fruit Description |
| Samara in September-October. |
| Colour Description |
| Excellent autumn colour, a rich consistent butter yellow. |
| Texture Description |
| Medium textured. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Throughout Southern Ontario Forests. The A. M. Cuddy Gardens, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Seed stratified at 4C for 4 months. Softwood cuttings in June. |
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