Sugar maple, Hard Maple

Where does Sugar maple grow?

Found in: Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, Korea, North America, Russia, Tasmania, United States

Notes: There are about 120-150 Acer species.

Status: It is the main source of maple syrup. Cultivated.

Growing Sugar maple, Hard Maple

Cultivation: It is grown from ripened seed. The seed need to be in the seed bed and left undisturbed for 4 years. Trees produce shoots near the base when the tree is cut down and if covered with soil these quickly develop roots. Trees should be 8 m apart.

Edible Uses: The sweet sap is eaten. The seeds have also been eaten but contain poisonous substances.

Production: Yields of 80 to 180 litres of sap can be produced in a season from one tree. The sap can be concentrated by boiling or by leaving it out in the frost and removing the ice which forms on top. Sap flow occurs from the end of spring until buds swell. A good sap flow requires freezing nights and sunny days. A hollow metal tube 11 mm across is driven slightly upwards and 5-8 cm into the trunk. It is often slow growing for the first 10 years. About 40 litres of sap produce one litre of syrup.

Nutrition Info

References

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