# Planting silver maple



## Bungiex88 (Jan 2, 2016)

Not sure if this is the right place to post this. I have about 200 yards of frontage I want to plant silver maples trees the whole way. The power lines are on the other side of the road. What would be a good distance to plant silver maple from the road. I beilive they want 30 feet from power lines. Is there a good distance from the road. Anyone with experience with silver maple line on the road


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Good distance from the road? Around 100 feet. Silver maples are a fast growing, weak wooded tree which has a bad habit of breaking in storms. It will take 20 or so years before your trees are large enough to be a serious danger. In the meantime you'll be picking up loads of kindling. Also the roots are shallow and tend to heave up out of the ground.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Silver maples do better in wet areas. Why silver maples?


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## Bungiex88 (Jan 2, 2016)

I want nice shade colorful fast growing tree all the way up the road but no more pine trees. I don't pick kindling up I just mow it. There's a road by my house that is lined with silver maple and the made a tunnel over the road looks real nice.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

What is the width of the right of way? Check with your county or township to see how close they'll allow you to plant.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I would go with Little Leaf Lindens before Silver Maples. The also grow fast, have a beautiful uniform head, yellow fall color and none of the Silver Maples bad habits.


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## Back2Basix (Dec 24, 2015)

Check with township on distance, i know around here it's all public 35-40ft from the center line of the road

Why not sugar maples?? Then you'd have a side business 30yrs down the road selling syrup. Guys around here make some good money off their hobby


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## Southern Forest (May 5, 2012)

Yellow Poplar grows fast and gets big while giving a beautiful yellow color. Also, they grow straight and are sturdy.


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## 012345 (6 mo ago)

I agree with those here that are saying that Silver Maples do tend to have limbs break off easily in storms and they rot very quickly such that if one breaks you will need to tend to the wound a lot or it will rot down into the tree. They do grow FAST though but I'd shy from them if you want that pretty drive. One big storm and it will not be very pretty. The large seeds however, taste great if boiled and salted. Taste just like soybeans to me.


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## fireweed farm (Dec 31, 2010)

Old thread, but yes silver maples are really best left for unique circumstances. 
I planted them along a low/wet ground area property line and they’ve done great where little else would. And fast! 25-30’ in 12 years and bushy too. Little chance of them causing damage when they get big enough to fail.


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