Red Maple or Sugar Maple?

[jds015]

I need some assistance in identifying a couple of trees. The leaves are so far up I can't identify them as Red or Sugar Maple. I will check leaves as they are falling now, but one of these is in an area that has both maples so it makes it more challenging. I do know the difference in the leaves, but they will be intermixed. I didn't know if anyone was good enough at bark ID to determine the difference as I know Red's can display different bark appearances. I'll attach some pictures also of confirmed reds and sugars on our property. Trying to identify for tapping purposes this winter! While I know both will work, I prefer to tap the sugars as this will be my first attempt. Sugaring is not very popular in NC, but not impossible as most of our winter is marked by hard freezes at night and sunny mild days with freeze and mild periods mixed in where we are located.

 

[cuttingedge]

Looks like Sugar Maple to me. I have many of both and am pretty good at identifying which one is which. As far as tapping for syrup both are good. The only difference is sugar content in the sap is a little higher in the sugar maple.

 

[Applesister]

Red maple leaves are serrated, meaning the edges of the leaf have a sawtooth edge. Sugar leaves have smooth edge.
Always without exception.
Now is the time to mark the Reds while you can check leaves, I have the same issue for same exact reason. Red bark can sometimes look exactly like Sugar.
Theres a red pigment too in Red maples, in the stems, leaf veins, inner bark. A blush.

 

[jds015]

Thank you both for the responses. We are at the very southern end of the natural range of sugars so we have a lot more reds, and some silvers even, so these two trees (top pictures) being sugars are a bonus for me if they are indeed sugars. Applesister, thanks for the remarks about the leaves. I've just recently learned that and it has helped me identify things much better, I just can't tell with these trees because leaves or so high or there are red maples in the area already and the leaves mix. The large sugar my youngest son is sitting on has produced lots of young sugars but none are large enough for tapping, although in about 5-10 years we'll have quite a few, otherwise we've only got about 4 sugar maples identified on our property that we can tap. Have either of you had success with reds as well? Cutting Edge, I know you mention they are good and depending on where I look/read, there are differing opinions on the quality of sap from reds (low sugar content, like silver). Thanks again to you both!

 

[nrford]

Red Maple 100%

 

[jds015]

Thanks nrford! I was hoping for sugar, but had a feeling they were reds. I'll still tap them and see what they produce.

 

[ADK_XJ]

Can be tough to differentiate by bark alone but often sugars have little dime sized white spots of crystallized sugar or "niter" from tiny little wounds that seep sap. Another hallmark are "eyes" that look almost like there was a branch taken off except it's flush to the tree and sort of has concentric circles of ridged bark - hard to describe but Cornell CoOp Ext from up this way has good resources on their site. End of the day, your best bet is to get some leaves when they fall or, better yet, fire up some binoculars - remember, sugar maples are smooth edged and have a deep rounded u shape between the lobes (think the web between your thumb and forefinger).

Either way, you definitely can tap reds with great success and flavor - just takes a little bit longer to boil down due to lower sugar content. Speaking from experience here. but I also remember reading a couple of times that the very best (denoted by winning taste tests and awards) producers will often integrate red maples with their sugars sap in order to maintain a robust flavor. So, either way, you should totally tap 'em because sugaring is way too much fun to miss - you in Asheville area or North of that? Beautiful country. Enjoy!

P.s. Can ID 4th image as a human male toddler, like 85% sure.

 

[jds015]

Adk_xj, thank you for the response! Yes, that is a human toddler sitting on the natural bench of our largest sugar Maple! It's my wife's favorite tree and she says no putting holes in it! I will def tap the reds. We have lots of them. We are actually outside of Greensboro. In the northwest Piedmont. My 4 year old and I are excited about tapping for the first time this year, so thank you for the info! I don't have high expectations, but if weather cooperates and we can end up with a quart or two I will call it a success. Thinking we will need to tap in January down here as our reds can start to bud by late February. February can be cold with snow or it can be sunny and 70 here.

 

[ADK_XJ]

Adk_xj, thank you for the response! Yes, that is a human toddler sitting on the natural bench of our largest sugar Maple! It's my wife's favorite tree and she says no putting holes in it! I will def tap the reds. We have lots of them. We are actually outside of Greensboro. In the northwest Piedmont. My 4 year old and I are excited about tapping for the first time this year, so thank you for the info! I don't have high expectations, but if weather cooperates and we can end up with a quart or two I will call it a success. Thinking we will need to tap in January down here as our reds can start to bud by late February. February can be cold with snow or it can be sunny and 70 here.

Oh nice - yup, I know the weather there well. Lived in Asheville/Weaverville for several years. You will/should get a short but productive season if it's anything like the last couple winters down there.

It's probably overkill but if you REALLY want to know A LOT about sugaring you can pony up the $20 for Ohio Ag Extension's producers manual here: (broken link removed)

Warning, it's just about the only thing that will make you wish you lived further North. Also, tell your wife that giant sugar maple will/should produce a couple quarts of syrup in a good season itself! Tapping does not hurt the trees one hit if done properly (don't blow in the holes or drill too close to old ones), especially an established tree like that.

 

[Steaming Pile]

Be careful making syrup you can get hooked pretty easy. I tapped my trees for the first time this spring and had a great time! My little sugar bush is in a terrible location (North facing slope). I have about a 50-50 mix of reds and sugars. With the poor weather we had here we still made 3 gallons or so from 30 smallish trees.

 

[Pat32rf]

Never did go to the trouble of identifying our naked trees. Just tapped all the maple (and some basswood), a few more each spring as I got more spiles and jugs. Never had any complaints from the family about the syrup we give them. Last spring I injured my leg and couldn't tap but we still have syrup in the freezer...Next spring I should be tapping 80-90 trees...

 

[Ncountry]

Another 100% red maple vote

 

[jds015]

Thank you to everyone that responded! I am just excited to attempt tapping trees this winter. I love all things maple and look forward to making some syrup of my own. I'm also glad to know a red maple will produce quality sap, even if it takes longer to cook down. Thanks again everyone!

 

[CincyBurner]

red maple
Bark on sugar maple would be less furrowed and more 'platey'.
Also, look at the sinuses of leaves. Sinuses on sugar are U-shaped; think 'U' for sugar. Red and silver maple have V-shaped sinuses.