Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Makin, Julie

Acer nigrum

Acer nigrum Michx. f.

Black Maple

Aceraceae (Maple Family)

Synonym(s): Acer nigrum var. palmeri, Acer saccharum ssp. nigrum, Acer saccharum var. nigrum, Acer saccharum var. viride, Saccharodendron nigrum

USDA Symbol: ACNI5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

A tall tree with a straight central trunk in the forest and a widely spreading branch system in the open. Very similar in all characteristics to sugar maple. Yellow to orange-red fall foliage.

From the Image Gallery

15 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Palmate
Leaf Pubescence: Tomentose
Leaf Margin: Lobed
Fruit Type: Samara
Size Notes: Up to about 100 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower: Flowers small
Fruit: Green, brown, two-winged horseshoe-shaped samaras about 1 in long, appearing in clusters.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Flowers appear with the leaves.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , SD , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: NS , ON , QC
Native Distribution: NH to s. Ont., MI & s.e. MN, s. to n.e. NJ, PA, MO & extreme n. AR; also NC & TN mts.
Native Habitat: Bottomlands; drier, calcareous sites; woods

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Dry to moist, often calcareous soils.

Propagation

Description: Propagation is possible by seed. Not considered easy to root from cuttings.
Seed Collection: The winged fruit of maples is called a samara. Seed is usually not extracted from the samara.
Seed Treatment: Cold stratify in a moist sand or peat/perlite mixture for 60-90 days.
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	UPL				FACU			FACU	FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Natural Biodiversity - Johnstown, PA
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-04-26
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back