Maple (Family Aceraceae)

Aceraceae is a family of flowering plants also called the Maple Family.

It contains two to four genera of some 120 species of trees and shrubs.

Maples are important ornamentals for lawns, along streets, and in parks.
They offer a great variety of form, size, and foliage; many display striking
autumn color. The red maple (Acer rubrum) is one of the most common
trees in its native eastern North America, where it tolerates compacted
wet soils and city pollution. Box elder (Acer negundo) grows quickly to
30–50 ft (9–15 m) and resists drought, so early prairie settlers planted
many for shade and for wood to make crates, furniture, paper pulp, and
charcoal. The watery, sweet sap of the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is
boiled down for syrup and sugar; the wood of certain maples is used for
furniture.

Back to Inventory of Tree Families and Species