Maple, Sugar | Arboretum | SIU

This tree is one of the 150 trees initially included in the arboretum to coincide with the campus's 150th anniversary celebration.

Scientific Name:
Acer saccharum

Cultivar:

Native to:
Eastern Canada to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas

Mature Height and Width:
60-75 feet by 30-40 feet, can reach 100 feet high

Additional Notes:
Sugar maple warrants an extra helping of gratitude as the primary source of sugar for Native Americans and early settlers from the old world.  Stringed musical instrument makers in the Appalachian region continue to prize the stability of the wood when exposed to changing humidity and temperature.  Sugar maple is also sought out by baseball bat manufacturers.  So unless you are a major league pitcher or somehow don’t appreciate bluegrass music, be thankful for sugar maple trees.

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