The Florida Maple: Standing Tall and Standing Out

The change of seasons from summer to autumn brings out new colors in the countryside and residential areas. The transformation of tones and highlights depends on the region of the country and the species putting on the show.

Here in north Florida, the bright fall hues are primarily contributed by the bountiful wildflower bloom. Annuals and perennials which have spent much of the growing season as part of the green background are now producing a variety of colors and textures.

In regions further north, many of the deciduous trees add to the polychromatic exhibition, complementing the late season native flowers. Among the eye-catching species are larches, oaks and maples.

While panhandle Florida is not generally known for its showy arboreal displays, one species consistently adds distinctive shades before winter’s hiatus. Florida Maples are converting from part of the indistinguishable green backdrop in north Florida to momentarily brilliant specimens.

The Florida Maple is getting ready to add a burst of colors to the area’s natural green backdrop.

Acer saccharmum subspecies floridanum, as this tree is botanically known, is found in northern Florida counties at the southern limits of its range.  It is sometimes known as the Southern Sugar Maple and is found in other southeastern states.  

This tree shares many of the traits and features of its close cousin the Northern Sugar Maple. Its brown toned lumber is useful for furniture and its sap can be refined into maple syrup, but both qualities are rarely utilized.

The occurrences of Florida Maples in local forests are relatively infrequent, with numbers that make commercial use impractical in the 21^st century. Its moderate to slow growth rate, depending on several environmental factors, also makes it an unlikely candidate for cultivation.

Its sparse distribution is likely the result of its winged seeds which take to the airways in late spring. With two wings attached to a pair of seeds, as opposed to one as seen on pine seeds, the aerodynamic prospects are far improved.

The breezes common to the area as the spring shifts to summer are responsible for disbursing the next generation’s foundation to new sites for establishment of this hardwood species. With the potential to reach a height of over 50 feet, the seeds aloft have an advantage for landing in distant locales.

The leaves on this tree have three to five lobes and are light green on top and greyish on the bottom. The leaf lobes are generally rounded, unlike the far more common sweetgum, which has pointed lobes.

The bark on younger trees is grey, which becomes darker and furrowed with age. This tree’s trunk has the potential to reach two feet in diameter and should be considered if this species is used in a landscape setting.

Unlike the non-native Japanese Maples which are sometimes used very near homes, the Florida Maple needs the room to reach its full potential as an excellent shade provider. Its close-grained wood makes its branches resistant to breakage, but severe weather will result in damage.

In the coming weeks these native maples will emerge from obscurity to display a burst of colors from yellow to maroon. This short-live demonstration is a herald of the winter soon to come.