Silver Maple

Since we’ve talked about two of the more abundant animals you might see here in the Site, we want to share a little bit about some of the plants here too. Many of the fauna we discuss are tied to the animals, a further example of how the ecosystem of the Site is interrelated!

You know you have a silver maple when you see the distinctive pale green leaves. These leaves also have a silvery-white underside that gives the tree its name. Silver maples are large towering trees growing to an enormous size of 50-80 ft tall, so it is easy to feel extremely small next to one. Being this tall means a silver maple can provide lots of shade with a 30 to 70 foot canopy. Because leaves do drop during the winter, this means it is a deciduous tree. The other distinguishing feature of the silver maple is the winged “helicopter” seeds that drop during the months of April, May, and June. These magnificent trees are located in Canada and the US. Many animals eat the silver maple’s buds, twigs, flowers, and seeds. These include ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, wild turkey, songbirds, red fox, eastern chipmunk, and white-tailed deer. Wood duck, common goldeneye, great blue heron, and other birds use the silver maple for nesting. Squirrels eat the buds in late winter when other food sources are low. Silver maple is a host for the common mistletoe plant. The soft wood of the silver maple makes it a good tree for cavity-nesting birds and dwellers, such as opossums, raccoons, and owls.