The coolest maple

[EatenByLimestone]

In my opinion, of course!


Acer pensylvanicum, the striped maple! A neat understory tree with striped bark. It’s not a particularly good firewood tree due to its size.

Unfortunately it’s just coming into the area and there aren’t any large enough trees to get a good bark shot.

There’s a nice one on this site.

Adirondack Trees: Striped Maple | Acer pensylvanicum

The Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) is a small, deciduous understory tree or large shrub which grows in hardwood and mixed wood forests in the Adirondack Mountains.

wildadirondacks.org

 

[peakbagger]

When I worked with local scouts, the striped maples were known as the toilet paper tree. When caught out in the woods in need, it works great and is the definition of biodegradable.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Quite an important role when in need!

 

[MRD1985]

Aka moose maple. They sure are cool trees but are hard to find. There are many more in northern NH and northern Maine. I have never seen one around here

 

[EatenByLimestone]

They seem to grow in certain areas, but not in others. There must be some determining factor in soil/habitat that makes some spots ideal but others not. For instance, I see lots of hop hornbeam around these areas, but not hornbeam.

The area had its last big fire in 1903 or 1905. Since then it’s been going through succession from pines and other early trees to sugar maples and beech which are the climax trees for the area.