Sugar maple
Acer saccharum
Plant photos
1 photo · Select to enlarge
Acer saccharum with a full green crown.
Bruce Marlin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo details
Resized and converted to WebP. No content edits.
Source: File:Acer saccharum.jpg
Reviewed . The actual photograph, source identification and reuse license were reviewed. The image illustrates the source-identified plant; it does not verify measurements or pollinator ratings.
Common names
32 names · 26 languagesOther languages (25)
- Catalan
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- Auró de sucre[5]
- Cherokee
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- ᏧᏩᎩ[5]
- Chinese (Traditional)
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- 糖楓[5]
- Czech
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- javor cukrový[5]
- Danish
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- sukkerløn[5]
- Estonian
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- suhkruvaher[5]
- Finnish
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- sokerivaahtera[5]
- Greek
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- Σφένδαμος ο σακχαρώδης[5]
- Onondaga
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- Ohwáhdaʔ[5]
- Polish
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- Klon cukrowy[5]
- Russian
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- Клён сахарный[5]
- Seneca
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- Wahda'[5]
- Slovak
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- javor cukrodarný[5]
- Swedish
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- sockerlönn[5]
- Turkish
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- Şeker Akçaağacı[5]
- Tuscarora
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- Ucikhéʔtaʔ[5]
- Ukrainian
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- Клен цукровий[5]
Sources & name notes (5)
Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.
Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.
Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.
Source records
- Sugar Maple — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Acer saccharum.
- Hard Maple — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Acer saccharum.
- Leucoderme — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Acer saccharum.
- Northern Sugar Maple — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Acer saccharum.
Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.
Source records
- sugar maple — Page 2, column 1, row top 262 pt; common-name cell after Acer saccharum.; Acer saccharum.
Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.
Source records
- sugar maple — results[1].names[0]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Zucker-Ahorn — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- hard maple — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- arce azucarero — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Érable à sucre — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Suikeresdoorn — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- bordo-açucareiro — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.
Source records
- Sugar maple (EN); Zucker-Ahorn (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 173513; taxon 94JK.
Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.
Source records
- sugar maple — results[14].names[0]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Zucker-Ahorn — results[14].names[13]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- hard maple — results[14].names[4]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- arce azucarero — results[14].names[2]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Érable à sucre — results[14].names[5]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Suikeresdoorn — results[14].names[8]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- bordo-açucareiro — results[14].names[6]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- aninaatig ziinzibaakwad — results[14].names[7]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- suhkruvaher — results[14].names[9]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Клён сахарный — results[14].names[10]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Ohwáhdaʔ — results[14].names[11]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Ucikhéʔtaʔ — results[14].names[12]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- javor cukrový — results[14].names[14]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Aninaatig (Cîwa'bo, Ziinzibaakwadwaatig) — results[14].names[15]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- サトウカエデ — results[14].names[16]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Wahda' — results[14].names[17]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Σφένδαμος ο σακχαρώδης — results[14].names[18]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- 糖楓 — results[14].names[19]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- 糖枫 — results[14].names[20]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- sockerlönn — results[14].names[21]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Auró de sucre — results[14].names[22]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Klon cukrowy — results[14].names[23]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- sukkerløn — results[14].names[24]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- ᏧᏩᎩ — results[14].names[25]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- 糖槭 — results[14].names[26]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- 砂糖楓 — results[14].names[27]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Şeker Akçaağacı — results[14].names[28]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- sokerivaahtera — results[14].names[29]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- javor cukrodarný — results[14].names[30]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
- Клен цукровий — results[14].names[31]; taxon id 52543; Acer saccharum.
Source-backed information
Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.
- Taxonomy
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Acer saccharum is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.
Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.
Sources [1] - Botanical family
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Sapindaceae
Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.
Sources [1] - Mature height
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12.19–36.58 m
NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.
Sources [2] - Mature spread
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9.14–18.29 m
NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.
Sources [2] - Plant habit
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Dense; Oval
NC State Extension profile.
Sources [2] - Growth rate
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Slow
NC State Extension profile.
Sources [2] - Foliage
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Deciduous
NC State Extension profile.
Sources [2] - Light
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Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
NC State Extension profile.
Sources [2] - Moisture and drainage
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Good Drainage; Moist
NC State Extension profile.
Sources [2] - Soil texture
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Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
NC State Extension profile.
Sources [2] - Soil pH
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Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.
Sources [2] - Flowering season
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Spring; Summer
NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.
Sources [2] - Reported wildlife attraction
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Listed as attracting: butterflies, moths, pollinators.
NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.
Sources [2] - Pollinator guidance
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RHS includes Acer saccharum in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.
RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.
Sources [3] - Native range
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E. Canada to C. & E. U.S.A.
Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.
Sources [4]
Who this plant supports
Solitary wild bees
About this plant
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a tree. It flowers in April.
Sources and references
References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.
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Catalogue of Life
Acer saccharum — Catalogue of Life COL26.8
COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.
Relevant sections
- Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 3658059; ID 94JK; rank species; status accepted
- Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 3658059; ID 94JK; rank species; status accepted
Source checked on .
Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.
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NC State Extension
Acer saccharum — Plant Toolbox
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.
Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attractionRelevant sections
- Mature height: Dimensions / Height
- Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
- Plant habit: Habit/Form
- Growth rate: Growth Rate
- Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
- Light: Light
- Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
- Soil texture: Soil Texture
- Soil pH: Soil pH
- Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
- Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts
Source checked on .
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Royal Horticultural Society
RHS Plants for Pollinators — Garden Plants
RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.
Supports: Pollinator guidanceRelevant sections
- Pollinator guidance: Page 2, column 1, entry Acer saccharum (top 262 pt)
Source checked on .
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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Acer saccharum — Kew WCVP native distribution
Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.
Supports: Native rangeRelevant sections
- Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 422773; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1132964, 1132965, 1132966, 1132967, 1132968, 1132969, 1132970, 1132971, 1132972, 1132973, 1132974, 1132975, 1132976, 1132977, 1132978, 1132979, 1132980, 1132981, 1132982, 1132983, 1132984, 1132985, 1132986, 1132987, 1132988, 1132989, 1132990, 1132991, 1132992, 1132993, 1132994, 1132995, 1132996, 1132997, 1132998, 1132999, 1133000, 1133001, 1133002, 1133003, 1133004, 1133005
Source checked on .
Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.