![]() ![]() Shallow spreading roots can crack sidewalks and driveways. Trees in moist forested areas in western parts of the Pacific Northwest are often covered with mosses, lichens, and ferns which add visual interest to the landscape. where it is not recommended for planting south of USDA Zone 7.Įxcellent shade tree for large landscapes and parks. Does not always perform well in the hot and humid summer conditions found in the southeastern U.S. Prefers moist, well-drained soils in cool summer temperatures reminiscent of those typically found in its native environment in the Pacific Northwest, but tolerates a variety of soil conditions ranging from moist to somewhat dry. growing to a height and width of 40 to 75 feet.Įasily grown in moist, slightly acidic, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. It is considered to be the most massive of the various species of maple found in North America. Most commonly found growing in moist woods and along streams in the lower elevations of the coastal ranges and northern Sierra Nevada mountains. The National Champion Big-Leaf Maple near Jewell, Oregon was blown down in a windstorm in 2011.Phonetic Spelling AY-ser mak-roh-FYE-lum Descriptionīigleaf maple is a decidous tree in the Sapindaceae (soapberry) family tree native to moist dry sites on the west coast of North America from Alaska, through British Columbia, and the west coast of the U.S.A. In fact, it is so prized for guitars that there have been criminal cases of tree-cutting for this very purpose. ![]() Today it is the only maple species in the Pacific Northwest in commercial use and is highly valued as a wood veneer, as well as for piano frames, salad bowls and guitar bodies. The dead wood was also used for smoking salmon. Native peoples used the big-leaf maple wood to make oars for their boats which earned the tree its nickname, the paddle tree. Once its golden leaves fall in late autumn, they decompose quickly creating deep, nutrient-rich soils where many mollusks, including snails and jumping slugs may reside. When I picked the seeds, dozens of prickly thorns stuck into my hand. It’s spreading canopy provides limbs with calcium-rich bark that play host to mosses, lichen and licorice fern when it grows in humid areas, giving it a blanket of green year-round.ĭeer and elk will browse young trees while birds and small mammals eat the seeds, though it must be tough. ![]() It gets over 100 feet tall (though typically is 50 – 60 feet) with a diameter of 8-10 feet. Indeed everything about this tree is big. Its large, fuzzy, winged seeds are similar to other maple seeds, but bigger. One of the last trees to leaf out in spring, its fragrant 1/4-inch yellowish flowers attract bees and other pollinators and then litter the streets and parks as the leaves bud and seeds begin to form. Hike along a shaded trail and come to an opening near a stream, then look up to see the sun shining through an umbrella of bright light green maple leaves. Its huge 8 to 12-inch wide, 5-lobed leaves (the largest of any maple) are its major identifying characteristic in summer, along with its very welcome shade on a hot sunny day! It grows all over the city as people seem to appreciate its size and shape as a shade tree, but my favorite place to see it is in forest openings tucked among the Douglas firs and hemlocks along rivers and trails. For anyone living in the western part of Oregon, the big-leaf maple ( Acer macrophyllum) is one of those trees you just can’t miss. ![]()
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