Species Name:  Acer saccharum

Common Name: Sugar Maple

Zone: 4 to 8

Distribution: Nova Scotia to Minnesota in the north, south to Tennessee and Missouri .

Seed collection: Acer saccharum (AS) seed matures in mid to late September in the northeast.  Seed changes color from bright green to light brown.  Seed remains on the tree until about early November.  Collect seed from the tree after the leaves have changed color but before the seed has wind dispersed from the tree. Seed is wind dispersed along with the fall leaves in October and November. AS seed is a two part winged samara produced in clusters at the ends of young twigs. Many samaras will be empty due to unfertilized embryos.  AS does not produced a reliable crop of seed every year and no seed is produced throughouta large geographic regioin in some years. Large crops of seed are produced every 3 to 5 years.

Seed handling: AS seed is enclosed in a two part samara. The seed does not need any cleaning but the wings may be removed to reduce bulk. Percentage of sound seed can be checked by opening a representative sample of about 20 seeds.  Seed may be stored for 2 to 4 weeks dry before beginning stratification.  Place seed in a moist stratification mix to maintain seed moisture levels.  Cold/moist stratify seed for 2 to 3 months or fall plant.  Best  results occur from fall planting in prepared seed beds.  Plant ½ to ¾” deep.

Germination requirements: The majority of seed will germinate the first spring. Germination is very uniform. Fall planting of seed is preferred over spring planting as seed germinates very early in the spring and root radicles are easily damaged. Seed stored for spring planting will likely begin germination in storage.  Seedlings first put up a cotyledon before the first true leaves appear.  Seedlings require ½ shade the first season but then can tolerate full sun thereafter.

Ecology:


Acer samaras germinating after cold/moist stratifcation for 2 to 3 months

this page posted February 20, 2008