sugar maple Acer saccharum Kingdom: Plantae Division/Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Sapindales Family: Aceraceae ILLINOIS STATUS common, native FEATURES The deciduous sugar, or hard, maple tree may grow to a height of 80 feet and a trunk diameter of three feet. Its bark may be gray, dark brown or black, becoming furrowed and scaly as it ages. The simple leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem. Each leaf may grow to five inches long and at least that wide. The leaf has three to five coarsely toothed lobes. The upper surface of the leaf is dark green and smooth while the lower surface is paler and smooth. Leaves turn yellow or orange in the fall. Male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers are separate. They may or may not be located on the same tree. The small yellow-green flowers are borne in clusters. Fruits are in pairs and consist of a wing with a seed at the base. The seed is yellow-green to brown, about one inch long. BEHAVIORS The sugar maple may be found statewide in Illinois. This tree grows in moist woods. It flowers in April and May as its leaves begin to unfold. The heavy, strong wood is used for making furniture, for interior finishing and in constructing cabinets. Maple sugar is derived from its sap. This tree is often grown as an ornamental. HABITATS Aquatic Habitats bottomland forests Woodland Habitats bottomland forests; upland deciduous forests Prairie and Edge Habitats none © Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2017. Biodiversity of Illinois.