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Black Maple (Acer nigrum Michx. f.)

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Summary
Range
Similar Plants
Habitat
Uses
Relatives
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Photo © Scott Sampson, CC BY 4.0.

↑Summary

A tree native to eastern North America, closely related to, but less common than the sugar maple.

↑Range - Expand

Legend	Color
Native
Native or Not Present
Native or Expanded
Native or Expanded or Not Present

This tentative map is based on our own research. It may have limited data on Canada and/or Mexico, and there is some subjectivity in our assignment of plants as introduced vs. expanded. Read more in this blog post.

↑Similar Plants

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
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↑Habitat

Mostly found in mixed hardwood forests, especially in well-drained portions of river valleys and bottomlands. Found in oak-hickory, maple-beech-birch, and maple-basswood forest associations. Becomes more common in the west, where it is better-adapted to the warmer, drier climate.

Like sugar maple, it is highly shade-tolerant and generally limited to sites that are moist but well-drained and aerated, sometimes found on slopes. Slightly more tolerant of wet soils, and significantly more tolerant of alkaline soils. Often found on limestone soils.

↑Uses

The wood is similar to sugar maple and typically grouped in with it and sold together as "hard maple".

Also used as a landscaping plant, where it is valued for its greater tolerance of heat, drought, and exposed conditions relative to sugar maple.

It can also be used to generate maple syrup with a yield and quality similar to that from sugar maple.

Closely related to sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and sometimes considered the same species. Hybridizes with this species; hybrids have intermediate characteristics and can be hard to identify. The pure species are usually easily distinguished by the black maple having three-lobed leaves.