# Is this a maple seedling?



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

It kinda looks like one I saw on a 'net search, but it has a red stem. The other pictures I saw didn't. My luck, it's poisonous!!! 

Maple?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Amur Maple


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## Turkeyfether (Dec 10, 2004)

Can all maple trees be tapped for syrup? If not, which ones can?


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## skruzich (Jul 23, 2003)

red maple.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Turkeyfether said:


> Can all maple trees be tapped for syrup? If not, which ones can?


I believe that you can tap any maple tree, but the sap is much better, more concentrated, on the sugar maple. You can even make "maple" syrup from box elder trees, I've been told! (I believe they are called Manitoba Maples in Canada). You'll just have to use lots more of the sap if you aren't using sugar maple.

As for flavor.... I don't know. Maybe someone else can answer that.


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## Beergeek (Sep 14, 2005)

CC's right.
I have three huge maples in my front yard, a Silver, a Red and a Hard (Sugar). I tap all three, and usually end up with about a gallon of maple syrup each season.

I measured the SG (specific gravity) of the sap from each tree, and they were all the same, within the measuing capabilities of my hydrometer. All about 1.030 (0.2%)

I think you may have to wait a while before you can tap THAT one though.


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## babysteps (Sep 11, 2005)

CC-it sure looks like a Red Maple (Acer rubrum). Just to be sure of my knowledge I double checked my handy guide to trees from Audubon and unless you are out west-say draw a line from the Dakotas to Texas-its a Red Maple. The red on the leafstalk is kind of a hint. Other maple really don't have that bright red on the stalk and the toothy edges on the leaf. Those two things together only occur in the Red Maple.

babysteps


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## woodspirit (Aug 3, 2005)

it does have the leaf of an amur maple. 
I've seen crosses of red and silver maple with the same leaf though.
It's not poisonous. 
The Iroquois used to tap many different trees. Birches work too but you need to boil alot more sap to get syrup. Sweet or black birch can be tapped and have a wintergreen flavor. Old timers would make a birch beer with it.


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## babysteps (Sep 11, 2005)

Ok, plant friends,

I went after this one because I'm thinking "I've never heard of an Amur Maple." CC's picture looks a lot like Red Maple because my brain is thinking wild native type things....so's I search the net and find out that Amur Maple is primarly a landscape sp, a native of China....OK, so I read more and find out that it is an invasive species...meaning it displaces our native plants in 
wild areas. 

So I'll stand on my soap box now.....

I'm not sure what CC has, but my advice would be for him to search out info from the NRCS at....http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=plant_profile.cgi&symbol=ACGI

and from MN DNR at: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/amurmaple.html

and look at the plant info. and the plant to really find out what it is. If it is Amur and he's not wanting it for landscaping I'd start ripping and tearing ...especially if he's near a woodlot or other open space. Our native species are under threat from all kinds of things from Amur Maples to Zebra Mussels. 

I thought it was worth the mention that's it's a non-native. I will step off my soap box now. Thanks for your tolerance.

babysteps


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Thanks for all the responses. So it is narrowed down to two. I just transplanted 67 of the little buggers from my yard to little pots, so I hope it is a red maple, and not an amur maple!!!! 

From looking at those links, I still don't know how to tell conclusively. I'm going to look at the other ones I dug up and see if ALL the leaves are longer than they are wide. 

If I find some that are wider than long, then I'll assume they are red maple.

Cross your fingers!!! I was excited about my new baby maple woods!!! I'd hate to have to dig them all up and throw them out! 

CC


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## Turkeyfether (Dec 10, 2004)

I have the identical 'Problem'.A whole slew of these grew in my strinbean patch.I know they will make beautiful trees & I am loath to harm them,but I must transplant them elsewhere.I just have to figure out where.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Turkeyfether said:


> I have the identical 'Problem'.A whole slew of these grew in my strinbean patch.I know they will make beautiful trees & I am loath to harm them,but I must transplant them elsewhere.I just have to figure out where.


I transplanted mine all into individual styrofoam cups with holes in the bottom. That'll buy me some time, I think, to figure out where to transplant them. At least they are out of the garden now!


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## greenboy (Sep 5, 2005)

yeap, a looooong while


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## Oscar (Oct 7, 2005)

I would say that if you found oodles of the seedlings on your land, they are more than likely amur maples. Amur maples have the ability to make incredible amounts of seed and thus, tend to be called "invasive" at times. Now, I won't get into thr whole "invasives" debate, but just to let you know, those seedlings, if found in the large numbers you indicated, have a good probablility of being amurs.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Well......they are red maples....for sure, for sure.... and I kinda just let this string die because I was so EMBARRASSED to admit that I was so stupid. 

A neighbor was over looking at the chicken coop, which sits in the middle of that mulched area that is covered with the little seedlings. 

I said, "You don't know what those are, do you? We've been having a discussion about whether they are amur maples or red maples." 

He looked up at the HUGE red maple tree beside the coop and said, "uh... I'd venture to say RED MAPLES". I felt THIS small.

If I would have just used my head......


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

HEHE, 

Stick with us Ohioans when it comes to maples, we know our stuff! 

Bob (who rightfully "id"ed this tree earlier!) :rock:


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