Some of the many types of maple trees are indigenous across much of North America. These beautiful trees are most well-known for their splendid fall foliage and their production of a particularly sweet sap, which is harvested and sold as maple syrup. The maple tree has a fascinating history. There are 128 species of the maple tree around the world, but 54 of these species are faced with extinction resulting from the loss of their habitat.
Syrup, Please!
The sugar maple tree is one variety that is naturally and commonly found in North America, and they are the most common type of maple that is tapped for syrup collection. The oldest sugar maple is thought to be over 500 years old. Known as “The Comfort,” it is located in Canada, and has a trunk circumference of 20 feet.
Maple trees are best known for their sap, which can be collected and boiled into maple syrup. A sugar maple tree cannot produce sap until it is 30 years old, and it takes 40 to 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.
Size, Shape, and Beauty
The size of a maple tree depends on the species. Some maple trees can be grown as bonsai plants, and other maple trees can grow to be 145 feet in height.
Maple trees in the Cincinnati area are best known for their vibrant and beautiful fall colors, but these trees also provide plentiful shade. The shade is such that it will inhibit the growth of grass and other plants underneath the tree, and even nearby, but on the plus side, if your house is in the shade of a mature maple tree, your cooling bills in the summer are likely to be significantly reduced by the shade the tree provides.
Maple Wood
The maple tree has other uses as well. Maple is considered to be a tonewood, which is a wood that carries sound waves, so it is often used to make musical instruments. Most parts of violas, violins, and cellos are constructed from maple.
Maple is also used to make baseball bats, bowling alley lanes, bowling pins, furniture, and butcher blocks. Paper made from the maple tree has superb printing qualities. The Birdseye Maple, in particular, is used in furniture making.
Dried maple tree wood is used for smoking food, and the charcoal made from maple is important in the process of distilling Tennessee whiskey.
Care and Maintenance
While the sturdy maple tree has many practical uses, Cincinnati homeowners most appreciate the maple tree for its stately beauty and the marvelous fall colors that paint the landscape. Keep in mind that maple trees, like all others, need regular care and maintenance, which means keeping up a routine schedule of trimming and pruning. Some homeowners prefer to have their maple trees shaped, while others prefer them in a more natural state. At a minimum, the tree trimming services for the thinning of the branches in the center of the tree is recommended.
If you’re here in Cincinnati, you can call us to help your maple trees (or any others) with their care and maintenance needs. We’re happy to help you to help your trees reach their full, magnificent potential for many years to come.
References:
http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-maple-trees/
http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/maple_tree_facts/640/
http://www.sugarbushhill.com/all-about-maple/interesting-facts-about-maple-trees/
