Sugar Maple or Silver Maple?

[ewlsey]

Is there a way to tell Sugar Maple from Silver Maple without the leaves? I have quite a lot of Maple that I got from some local tree trimmers. I don't have the leaves or buds to look at. They said it was a Sugar Maple, but I'm not sure.

The largest pieces were about 30" in diameter. It was really heavy compared to the Ash and Hackberry I usually burn.

 

[claydogg84]

I usually trust my tree guys. It looks like Sugar Maple to me.

 

[ewlsey]

I used to think that. But my experience is that a lot of tree trimmers don't know anything about trees other than how to cut them down. I got some Hackberry from a trimmer who could only describe it as white wood that wasn't Cottonwood. Hackberry is very common here. I almost didn't believe it.

 

[ewlsey]

Is there anything to look for that would indicate Silver Maple? Some Silvers I have seen have sharper, rougher bark that peals away at the bottom of the scales kind of like a Hickory or some Locust. But, I see other pictures online that look indistinguishable between Silver and Sugar.

 

[claydogg84]

Silver and Norway maple are usually bright white.

 

[Wood Duck]

I think the bark looks more like Silver Maple. The large flakes are typical of Silver Maples, not quite right for Sugar.

 

[nrford]

Silver for sure. This is not a guess.

 

[webby3650]

I'm always blown away when "knowledgeable" people don't know much about their profession. Can you imagine your mechanic using ford parts on your Chevy because he didn't know the difference and didn't care enough to find out? How could a guy not care to know more about his livelihood?

Sorry, rant over. It's Silver Maple.

 

[leonardo]

i vote for silver. as wood duck pointed out, no flakes on sugar maple.

 

[claydogg84]

Silver for sure. This is not a guess.

You would be more helpful to the OP and others to explain what to look for to distinguish the 2.

 

[webby3650]

Very old sugar maples can have a few similarities with silver maple. Their bark will have very large scales but will still be tight to the trunk, whereas silver maple bark scales can easily be pulled away. Younger sugars will have very tight bark, almost no scales at all. The bark is also lighter in color on sugar maples. Then theirs the wood itself, it shares almost no similarities with silver maple. It's much heavier, denser, and has much tighter growth rings.

Here's a pic of a young sugar maple.

 

[ewlsey]

I just picked up another load of the same kind of wood. I guess it's Silver Maple. It seems to be a really common tree in people's yards. It also seems to have a lot of problems with bugs and rot.

 

[webby3650]

I just picked up another load of the same kind of wood. I guess it's Silver Maple. It seems to be a really common tree in people's yards. It also seems to have a lot of problems with bugs and rot.

It sure does! It'll rot right in your wood stacks too if it's not covered. Within a year it will be getting punky on you.

 

[ewlsey]

Hackberry will do the same thing. Hackberry bark is really tough, and it will rot out completely before the bard falls off. This maple doesn't seem to be like that.

I've got maybe 2 cords of this maple stacked since September. I'll stick it under the lean-to next fall and we'll see how it burns next year.

I don't have that much experience with Maple. Growing up, we burned Hackberry, Mullberry, Locust, Elm, and some Oak. Those trees grow like weeds in fence rows, so we had as much as we wanted.

Now that I'm in town, I mostly get this Silver Maple, Ash, Hackberry, and some Oak (mostly Pin Oak). It all burns.

 

[Woody Stover]

I think the bark looks more like Silver Maple.

Silver for sure.

Sugar bark doesn't have that much red tint, does it?

 

[webby3650]

Hackberry will do the same thing. Hackberry bark is really tough, and it will rot out completely before the bard falls off. This maple doesn't seem to be like that.

I've got maybe 2 cords of this maple stacked since September. I'll stick it under the lean-to next fall and we'll see how it burns next year.

I don't have that much experience with Maple. Growing up, we burned Hackberry, Mullberry, Locust, Elm, and some Oak. Those trees grow like weeds in fence rows, so we had as much as we wanted.

Now that I'm in town, I mostly get this Silver Maple, Ash, Hackberry, and some Oak (mostly Pin Oak). It all burns.

Silver maple seems real nice at first, but will dry very quickly and turn before you know it. Keep it under cover and you'll be fine.

 

[Applesister]

Invest in a chip carving knife or a small palm handled gouge. Hardness can be felt with a knife.
You dont even need to know what the tree is. The resistance to a knife will tell you silver maple from Sugar.
I use my fingernail and press into the wood. If I cant leave a mark then its sugar or hickory or black birch.
You dont need bark or winter buds or acorns or leaves.