Sugar Maple - One of America's Most Loved Trees!

The Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is a stunning tree that is also a generous provider of syrup, shade, and food for wildlife! It is one of America’s most loved and popular trees, with more states claiming it as their official state tree than any other species - this includes New York, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Vermont! 

5 Reasons Why The Sugar Maple is a Favorite!

1. Stunning Display of Color

During the Fall season, the Sugar Maple displays a stunning array of red, gold, and orange colors! This fuels fiery autumnal displays in New England and many other places throughout the country.

2. Maple Syrup

This special tree produces a unique sap that can be used to make sweet syrup! The sap is extracted from the tree using a tap placed in a hole inside the bark. The collected sap is then boiled to evaporate off the water, leaving the syrup behind. The production of syrup is mainly done with Sugar Maple trees in cooler climates, as these tend to produce much more sap than the trees growing in warmer climates. Today, about two million gallons of this liquid gold support an important industry in the rural parts of the United States.

The documented history of the syrup from the Sugar Maple tree dates back to 1663 when chemist Robert Boyle informed many in Europe about a special tree in the ‘New World’ that produced a sweet substance and John Smith was among the first settlers who remarked about the Native American's sugar processing and the fact that they used this product for barter.

3. Great Shade Tree

The Sugar Maple is a fast growing tree with a dense canopy, making it one of the best shade trees! The shade from a Sugar Maple can provide people with much needed cooling from the hot Summer sun and makes for a great place to sit beneath and have a picnic, read a book, or enjoy another’s company! As a great shade tree, the Sugar Maple is commonly found at many parks, golf courses and home landscapes.

4. Adaptability

The Sugar Maple is an extremely tolerant tree that can grow and thrive in a wide range of climates (USDA hardness zones 3 through 8)! This includes plantings as far North as Canada and as far South as Tennessee.

One of the main reasons why a Sugar Maple is so hardy is its root system. Its unique roots are highly efficient in obtaining water and nutrients, and have been known to develop certain fungi to enhance these efforts.

5. Wildlife

Sugar Maples are a favorite food source of many wonderful animals. It commonly attracts white-tailed deer, moose, and snowshoe hare, among other animals. In addition, red squirrels often feed on the seeds, buds, twigs, and leaves, and porcupines are often found eating a Sugar Maple’s bark and upper stems.

Fun Facts About the Sugar Maple

• The oldest Sugar Maple in North America is believed to be in North Pelham, Ontario, Canada. Arborists estimate that this special tree (named the “Comfort Tree”) is over 500 years old. Previous owners of the land where this tree stands believed that it marks an Indian burial ground, as many indigenous people would visit the tree through the years and Indian artifacts have been found near the tree. On April 30, 1961, the land where the ‘Comfort Maple’ is growing was donated to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and the tree was accepted for preservation.

• During the 2001 baseball season, Barry Bonds switched from the traditional ash wood baseball bat to one made of Maple and hit 73 home runs!

• The Sugar maple, with its patterned wood, is one of the most valuable hardwoods for furniture!

• The Sugar Maple has been used for medicine because of its bone-building phosphates that enhance calcium retention.

Sugar Maple Memorials

As a long-lived, hardy, and stunningly beautiful tree, the Sugar Maple is a popular option chosen by families to grow a tree memorial with The Living Urn’s bio urn. Families can watch this fast grower thrive and show off its splendor and Fall beauty to honor a loved one in a truly unique and special way.

The Sugar Maple trees that come with The Living Urn are shipped directly to a family’s doorstep on a date of their choosing, ready to plant with the urn holding a loved one’s ashes. These are carefully packaged and shipped from The Living Urn’s award winning nursery after they’ve reached 2-4’ in height and have developed a robust root system in a gallon or quart pot.

In addition to the tree, the patented Living Urn comes with everything a family needs to grow the memorial. This includes its special BioUrn® made from recycled plant materials that stays rigid above ground and breaks down quickly after planting to encourage root growth. Additional items that come with The Living Urn include a special soil additive called RootProtect®, mulch, and detailed planting instructions that provide step-by-step directions making the planting process easy on a family. In addition, the entire system comes packaged in an attractive bamboo case – this can be engraved with your loved one’s name, a symbol of choice, and other information of your choosing!