Varieties in the Acer freemanii include: Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Many authorities recommend against planting silver maple. Water sprouts are common, requiring frequent pruning to keep tidy. Common in older landscapes because of their quick growth, even the slightest breeze can make the silver undersides of silver maple trees look like the whole tree is shimmering. Maple Planting Distance A rule of thumb when spacing trees is to base it on their expected canopy spread, according to the University of Florida. In natural areas, their early spring blooms are important to bees and other pollinators. They are moderately drought tolerant, but are more recognized for their ability to survive in standing water for long periods of time. Step 1 Know what species of birch you are planting. Another drawback to silver maples is that their prolific, winged seed pairs are highly viable and seedlings will quickly sprout up in any open soil without any special requirements, like stratification. Sign up for our newsletter. The wood of the silver maple is brittle As the name implies the swap white oak is a bottomland species but does not grow in a swamp. Silver maple flowers in (February)March-April(May), before the leaves, usually before red maple. Learn how your comment data is processed. The species is ideal for wet bottomland sites and can easily recover from extended periods of flooding. The species is ideal for wet bottomland sites and can easily recover from extended periods of flooding. If possible, space the trees between 40 and 50 feet apart for the best root and canopy spacing. Silver maple is a fast growing, long-lived tree native to eastern Nebraska. Silver maple has gotten into enough mischief that it is banned as a street tree in some communities. Founded in 1972, the...Read More, The Arbor Day Foundation and Quilted Northern®, Planting Two Million Trees Together, Replanting Rain Forests During a Pandemic, Spreading Holiday Cheer: How One Tree Becomes 50,000, Wildfire Restoration 101: How to Drive Recovery and Prevent Future Disaster. With that done, your help can move the plumb stick towards the laser every 5 feet (using the tree spacing example above) where your helper marks the spot to plant each tree. Flashes of silver beneath their leaves signal updrafts and approach of rain, and their spring shower of large, twirling seeds is a delight to children. 1-year. It could freeze tomorrow ! Mulch around the canopy, but not near the trunk, to help the tree maintain moisture. ... Spacing them in the landscape depends on how much work you want to do. 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The average size of a Silver Maple is about 50 feet tall by 30 feet wide. Silver maple can be managed on And thanks to the adaptability of the species, it has grown popular for sites too difficult for other trees to grow such as poor and compact soil, and hot, dry, conditions (hardiness zones 3-9). 13.35-Gallon Silver Maple Shade Tree in Pot (L1124) Item #588890 Model #NURSERY. Their massive trunks remind us of how long they have stood there, providing a link with the past in a fast-paced world that seems ever looking ahead. I want to cut them down and make more room for more productive gardening, but the co-owner wants to leave them be, so last year, I tapped the trees. Its roots get into trouble too, where space is inadequate, and branches often break under the load of ice or snow. Do I keep them in water or should I plant into pots until spring ? Print This Page Silver Maple. All flowers on one tree are nearly synchronous. In addition to their use as fast-growing shade trees, silver maples were also widely planted in reforestation projects. 2. The silver maple tree (Acer saccharinum) is one the most common trees of North America. A million members, donors, and partners support our programs to make our world greener and healthier. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Silver maple can be used in riparian buffer plantings. These become big trees, at least 50 to 60 feet tall and nearly as wide. The root system is shallow and fibrous and is known to damage sewer pipes and well as basement walls. This tree grows well in both wet and dry conditions. Because of this water tolerance, silver maples were often planted along river banks or edges of other waterways for erosion control. Acer is said to come from the Celtic word, ac, meaning “hard.” It is applied to the maple genus to denote the density of wood found in this group of trees. Watering: This tree can tolerate wet or dry conditions. 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