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They are dull green on top and a lighter color underneath. Hard maples usually have leaves with moderate indentations. The lobes on some maples are mere indentations in the leaves, while others have lobes so deeply divided that a single leaf can look like a cluster of individual, thin leaves. All maples have leaves divided into three, five, or seven lobes. These trees are important to the lumber industry and include black maples and sugar maples, known for their superior quality syrup. Hard maples grow very slowly and live a long time. One distinction between the two maple tree types is the rate of growth. To make maple tree identification a little easier, let's begin by dividing them into two main groups: hard and soft maples. With all of the variations, it's hard to pinpoint a few obvious features that make a tree a maple. Your bucket should have a cover to keep out any foreign material.Maple trees are members of the genus Acer, which includes a lot of variety in size, shape, color, and growth habit. Hang your bucket on the hook of the spout. Be sure it is inserted firmly and cannot be removed by hand. Drill a tap hole with a 7/16 drill bit about 3 feet up your tree. How to Tap Maple TreesĬhoose a maple tree that is at least 10 inches in diameter. This is normally in February and/or March. Sap begins to flow when daytime temperatures are above freezing and nighttime temperatures are below freezing. Maples can be fertilized when planting and in spring with a slow release fertilizer. Apply a mound of mulch around young maple trees to reduce watering needs and protect the roots. Water newly planted maples deeply 2 to 3 times per week for the first couple months. They are adaptable to most soil types, but prefer well-drained soil. Maple trees are no maintenance once they are established. Offer plenty of water when planting in summer to combat stress from heat and acclimation. Areas with mild summers can plant in summer. They can also be planted in winter if the ground is digable. Plant maple trees in spring and fall for best results. Broken, dead, or diseased branches should be removed when you notice them. However fall and winter pruning are fine for any minor pruning that is required. This is ideal if you have to perform any heavy pruning. If you want to avoid dripping sap prune your maple tree in late spring or summer. The fast growing silver maple tends to have the shortest lifespan of the shade maples, averaging about 100 years. Red maples average around 130 years, but can survive up to 300 years. Sugar maples tend to have the longest lifespan, living 300 to 400 years. Maple trees tend to have fairly long lifespans. While larger varieties can grow as much as a foot or even 2 feet in a single year when they are younger, they may only grow an inch or 2 in height per year when they are older. Faster growing varieties like silver maple, autumn blaze maple, and October glory maple can grow 3 to 5 feet in a single growing season. Most maple trees can grow about 2 feet per year. Many maple species are native to Asia, but maples are also found in North America, Europe, and Northern Africa. Several maples are native to the United States, but this large group of trees grows all over the world.