Sugar Maple : Overview

Sugar Maple Profile

Acer saccharum. USDA. (1929)

The sugar maple, Acer saccharum, belongs to the family Aceraceae. This family consists of around 120 different species of trees and shrubs, most having common English names of maple or boxelder. Their natural distribution extends throughout Europe, North America and particularly Asia, but many species have extensive cultural distributions as well. Of these species, thirteen are native to North America and seven to Vermont and New England. Sugar maples are far and away the most culturally and economically significant of these Northeastern varieties.