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Native Plant Database

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Acer barbatum (Southern sugar maple)
Simpson, Benny

Acer barbatum Michx.

Southern sugar maple, Florida maple, Caddo maple, Rock maple

Aceraceae (Maple Family)

Synonyms: Acer saccharum var. floridanum

USDA Symbol: ACBA3

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A small, spreading tree, Florida maple or Southern sugar maple is smaller in all parts but otherwise similar to A. saccharum, the sugar maple of the northeastern U.S. Its fall color is usually yellow and not as vibrant as the northern form. It grows 20-25 ft. tall.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Margin: Lobed
Size Notes: Medium sized tree to 60 feet, elliptical crown.
Leaf: Green above, paler and fuzzy below.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower: Small flowers hang from a long (1 to 2 inches) stalk in clusters of a few flowers.
Fruit: Samara 3/4 inch long, mature in mid-summer.
Size Class: 36-72 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: Apr

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , LA , MO , MS , NC , SC , TN , TX , VA
Native Distribution: Piedmont & Coastal Plain areas of VA to FL, w. to OK & TX
Native Habitat: Stream, river banks
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Rich, moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Southern sugar maple is resistant to wind and ice.

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Propagation is possible by seed.
Seed Collection: The winged fruit of maples is called a samara. Seed is usually not extracted from the samara.
Seed Treatment: For maximum germination, most maple species require a period of warm-moist stratification followed by cool stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Georgia Native Plant Society - Atlanta, GA

Bibliography

Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Acer barbatum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Acer barbatum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Acer barbatum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-10-15
Research By: TWC Staff

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