Trying to identify a maple vs ?

ADK_XJ · Feb 25, 2015

Hey all, I have a slightly different need to ID these trees - I'm trying to firm up which of my most immediate trees are maples so I can start tapping them for sugar season. I figure this group is as good as any at identifying trees by their bark so can you help a brother out?

I'm thinking the first two are maples and the second set may be oaks but damn they're similar:

nrford · Feb 25, 2015

Photo's 1&2 are Soft Maple. 3&4 are R.Oak

mark cline · Feb 25, 2015

My nephew ,once tapped a telephone pole . Needless to say , he learned fast.

ADK_XJ · Feb 25, 2015

nrford said:
Photo's 1&2 are Soft Maple. 3&4 are R.Oak

Thank you - could you help me do one more? I thought this might be a red oak originally but the bark is odd:

nrford · Feb 25, 2015

Cherry

ADK_XJ · Feb 25, 2015

nrford said:
Cherry

Huh, I had a feeling! You have these down - I may have to snag a few more photos tomorrow to run by you.

ewlsey · Feb 25, 2015

The easiest way to ID maple is from the leaves. Wait until spring and go looking for Canadian flags.

ADK_XJ · Feb 25, 2015

ewlsey said:
The easiest way to ID maple is from the leaves. Wait until spring and go looking for Canadian flags.

Right, but doesn't do much for me on a place I bought at the start of this artic freeze and looking to start sugaring on next week...

ewlsey · Feb 25, 2015

It's very difficult to tell the different maples apart from the bark alone. Silver maple and sugar maple can grow right next to each other and look damn near identical. The leaves are the best way to ID them.

Smoke Signals · Feb 25, 2015

I would think its a little early to to be taping maples up you way ADK_XJ no? We started taping tubing on the 14th here but still to cold for a run. buckets don't hold up as well as tubing. How many are you planning on tapping?

Edit: Started tapping tubing on the 21st.

nrford · Feb 25, 2015

ewlsey said:
It's very difficult to tell the different maples apart from the bark alone. Silver maple and sugar maple can grow right next to each other and look damn near identical. The leaves are the best way to ID them.

The key phase in you statement "damn near" The other factor...... nearly 30 years of experience telling the difference.

ewlsey · Feb 25, 2015

nrford said:
The key phase in you statement "damn near" The other factor...... nearly 30 years of experience telling the difference.

I'm not sure how that is going to help this guy. Are you headed out there to ID all his trees for him?

Ram 1500 with an axe... · Feb 26, 2015

mark cline said:
My nephew ,once tapped a telephone pole . Needless to say , he learned fast.

Better to tap a telephone pole then to burn one in your beauty of a stove.......

BobUrban · Feb 26, 2015

Good news is you will get sap/syrup from both types of maple. Just more from the sugar so tap away once you identify the maples and see what you get.

ADK_XJ · Feb 26, 2015

Smoke Signals said:
I would think its a little early to to be taping maples up you way ADK_XJ no? We started taping tubing on the 14th here but still to cold for a run. buckets don't hold up as well as tubing. How many are you planning on tapping?

Edit: Started tapping tubing on the 21st.

It definitely is early, I just don't want to get caught with my pants down when it does warm up enough to tap and have no idea which trees I'm doing. This year, I'll tap no more than 10 - at least one or two trees I've marked already could handle two buckets, so we're talking about very limited sample size for the first year.

ADK_XJ · Feb 26, 2015

ewlsey said:
I'm not sure how that is going to help this guy. Are you headed out there to ID all his trees for him?

Sorry, but what's it to you? I made it clear I didn't have a chance to ID trees by the leaves in my OP but was looking for an assist in figuring them out now for sugaring. Nrford did just that.

All you've suggested is that I look at the leaves - that doesn't help me right now, I can ID trees to my heart's content in Spring and will.

nrford, appreciate your help!

Diabel · Feb 26, 2015

With trees this size you can easily put three-four taps in each.
Burn on!!

ADK_XJ · Feb 26, 2015

Diabel said:
With trees this size you can easily put three-four taps in each.
Burn on!!

That's what I figured - I'm using 10-20" as 1 tap, 20"-25" as 2 taps and 25"-30" as 3...sound about right?

I'm probably flirting dangerously close to this thread becoming a non-woodshed discussion but oh well!

rsw49 · Feb 26, 2015

If you think it is a maple check for the alternate branch position. Maple, ash, dogwood and horse chestnut will have twigs growing opposite of each other while other trees will have alternate spacing.

ADK_XJ · Feb 26, 2015

rsw49 said:
If you think it is a maple check for the alternate branch position. Maple, ash, dogwood and horse chestnut will have twigs growing opposite of each other while other trees will have alternate spacing.

Yes, exactly. That's been my most beneficial marker so far - some of these trees are so tall and have been trimmed over time (at least the ones closer to the house) that I'm squinting into the sun just to see some of the smaller twigs.

rsw49 · Feb 26, 2015

I hear ya. I have been spending some time in the woods lately and trying to get better at identifying trees with no leaves. When they get bigger it sure is tough to see up there to try and identify the twig spacing. I have thought about taking some binoculars with me to help but have not done so. It can be a challenge!

Applesister · Feb 26, 2015

You can contact Saratoga County cooperative ext and ask for a master forester to help you walk the woodlot and ID the sugaring trees. Sugaring is considered an Ag product so they can help you get started.
I think its good to get a head start now. The snow will melt all at once and its gonna be a mess and its gonna happen overnight.
Lucky you to have found a farmhouse with some land.

ADK_XJ · Feb 26, 2015

Applesister said:
You can contact Saratoga County cooperative ext and ask for a master forester to help you walk the woodlot and ID the sugaring trees. Sugaring is considered an Ag product so they can help you get started.
I think its good to get a head start now. The snow will melt all at once and its gonna be a mess and its gonna happen overnight.
Lucky you to have found a farmhouse with some land.

Really?! I had no idea - I will reach out to the Co-Op tomorrow. Thank you!

Yes, we feel very lucky for having found the property with proximity to work. I just wish we had the full 40 acres of the original farm...

husky345 vermont resolute · Feb 27, 2015

Third one down is a Norway maple. The other three are hard maples. The first one is a sugar and four and five are both hard maples

ADK_XJ · Feb 27, 2015

Applesister said:
You can contact Saratoga County cooperative ext and ask for a master forester to help you walk the woodlot and ID the sugaring trees. Sugaring is considered an Ag product so they can help you get started.
I think its good to get a head start now. The snow will melt all at once and its gonna be a mess and its gonna happen overnight.
Lucky you to have found a farmhouse with some land.

Thanks again for the tip, Cornell Co-Op is coming out next week to walk the property with me and ID. What a great resource.

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