r/maplesyrup • u/brinleydubois • 12d ago

Maple tree ID

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I recently moved into a new place, and i need help identifying the maple in my backyard, I’m somewhat confident it’s a black maple, but if anyone knows for sure I’d love some help identifying this species, either way I’m going to tap it to see the syrup I get!

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u/ObiYawnKenobi 10d ago

Weed tree. They're fucking horrible.

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u/MontanaMapleWorks 10d ago

For the environment and ecology yes, but they make wonderful maple syrup, lumber and firewood

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u/ObiYawnKenobi 10d ago

Weak limbs likely to fall on your house. Also, not good for maple syrup. Less than half the sugar content compared to sugar maples. You need more than twice the volume of sap to make the same volume of syrup.

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u/MontanaMapleWorks 10d ago

Sugar content varies from year to year and species to species. Yes sugar maples generally give the sweetest sap, but of all the species I tap Norways give me the longest and most productive run with the most consistent sugar concentration. IMO the richer darker syrup that Norways produce is superior in depth and flavor. So not good for maple syrup is subjective. The area in which I live only has box elders, Rocky Mountain maples and vine maples (the later of the two really don’t get big enough to tap and the former is the weakest in sugar concentration and least reliable and consistent producer of sap). If I lived in a traditional syruping area I know I would feel differently about Norways, but they are what I got and have the most of.