Maples

Canadians see the maple leaf shape every time they see the Canadian flag.

Most Maples have palmate (shaped like the palm of your hand) leaves. Maple leaves have three to nine main veins, which provide both nutrients and structure much the way the ribs of an umbrella do, and pointed lobes (like fingers) at the end of each leaf. The leaves always spread out face up (the side without the veins) so they receive the maximum amount of sun.

You can read more about the parts of a leaf and other clues to identifying trees in the Identifying Trees section.

All the Maples have fruits in joined pairs known technically as samara but commonly called keys, that fly down from the trees like helicopters.

Originally native to China, the Paperbark Maple is a small tree that has toothed compound leaves with 3 to 5 leaflets which are bluish green above and soft grey-green below. The cinnamon-coloured bark has thin peeling and curling layers, which stand out in the winter landscape.

The Autumn Blaze Maple is a cross, also called a cultivar, between Red Maple and Silver Maple (a Freeman Maple), combining the colour of the Red Maple with the leaf shape and the hardy features of the Silver Maple.

The leaves of the Silver maple are distinctly and sharply lobed with a green surface but silvery-white underneath, and turn yellow in the fall. Mature trees have shaggy bark and brittle limbs. The flowers appear long before the leaves.

The distinctive Sugar Maples of eastern Canada turn red and orange before they lose their leaves. Sugar Maples are tapped in the spring for their sweet sap, which runs when the days are mild and sunny and the nights are frosty. It takes 40 litres or gallons of sap to boil down to one liter or gallon of maple syrup.

Silver Queen Silver Maple
(Acer saccharinum 'Silver Queen')

This cultivar of the Silver Maple was introduced in 1966.

It typically grows to 15 metres tall and wide and is distinguished from the species by having stronger upright branching, a more dominant central leader, seedless to almost seedless habit, bright green summer foliage and deeper yellow fall colour.

Scarlet Sentinel® Maple
(Acer x fremanii Scarlet Sentinel®)

This is another cultivar that combines the Red Maple and the Silver Maple. Like the Autumn Blaze it has leaves like the Silver Maple, and turns red in the fall. It has an oval or columnar shape.

Autumn Blaze® Maple
(Acer x fremanii ‘Jeffersred’ Autumn Blaze®)

This tree is a cross between Red Maple and Silver Maple, combining the colour of the Red Maple with the leaf shape and the hardy features of the Silver Maple.

Paperbark Maple
(Acer griseum)

Originally native to China, this small tree has toothed compound leaves with 3 to 5 leaflets which are bluish green above and soft grey-green below. The cinnamon-coloured bark has thin peeling and curling layers which stands out in the winter landscape.

Green Mountain® Sugar Maple
(Acer saccharum Green Mountain®)

This is a cultivar of the tree which dominates the broadleaf (deciduous) forests of Quebec and Ontario. The leaves have 5 lobes with teeth and are yellowish-green above and paler and hairless underneath. They turn bright yellow, red or orange in the fall. The flowers and keys look the same as the Black Maple.

Norway Maple
(Acer Platanoides)

This tree is considered invasive. The Town
of Niagara-on-the-Lake has committed to removing them over time.

These trees are not found on the map or labelled.

Artwork by Julian Mulock

Maples

Silver Queen Silver Maple(Acer saccharinum 'Silver Queen')

Scarlet Sentinel® Maple(Acer x fremanii Scarlet Sentinel®)

Autumn Blaze® Maple(Acer x fremanii ‘Jeffersred’ Autumn Blaze®)

Paperbark Maple(Acer griseum)