Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Acer saccharinum
White maple
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Dicot-woody, perennial

Roots: primary

Shoots: opposite leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; lobed (pinnately), lobed (palmately) leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; oval leaf shape

Inflorescence: umbel

Flowers: perfect, unisexual, monoecious, dioecious; 5 merous; incomplete, not petals; yellow, green; perigynous ovary position

Fruit: samara

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat:

ILPIN Notes: Form - bare root, seedlings; readily adapts to a variety of soil conditions. Terrestrial furbearers (especially squirrels) eat seeds, flowers, bark, and twigs. This is an excellent den tree for squirrels and woodpeckers. Regarding small non-game bird food value, this pertains especially to evening grosbeaks. Leaves are usually cleft more than halfway to bases; silvery white below, and sharply toothed; staminate flowers in capitate clusters. Seed company numbers: 2, 4, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 52. Brittle branches are easily damaged by storms. Sap can be used to make syrup, but yield is less than sugar maple.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: insect
  • Dispersal: wind
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers: low

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value: deer: good; upland game birds: good; small non-game bird: good; small mammals: good
  • Cover Value: small non-game bird: good

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 1
  • Chicago Area: 0

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