Nature Park Plants

Classification:

Leaves:
Leaf has five wide-lobed notches, palmately veined and lobed. Basal lobes are smaller, upper lobes are larger and deeply notched.

Bark:
Bark is smooth, gray to pale tan when young, becomes dark gray and shaggy as the tree ages.

Flowers:
Flowers are yellow-green in color, no petals. Each flower hangs on a long slender stalk. Flowering occurs in early spring before tree produces leaves. Male and female flowers are separate but on same tree (monoecious).

Fruit:
Fruit is wing-shaped, contains two seeds. Fruit is wind-dispersed, floats and spins like a helicopter.

More Information:

The genus name Acer is from the Latin for "sharp," referring to the sharply pointed lobes on the leaves.  The species name saccharum is from the Latin for "sugar."