Acer pensylvanicum

Striped Maple, Moosewood, Moose Maple

About plant names...

Striped maple, a North American native, is so named because of the green and white vertical stripes on its trunk and branches.

Identification: This maple is a small tree, reaching heights of 16-33' (5-10 m). It may appear shrub-like in the forest, where it is often found as an understory plant. The bark is a smooth green on young plants or branches, with white vertical striations as the tree ages, an identifying feature. Leaves are opposite, and 3-6" (8-15 cm) × 2-4½" (6-12 cm) in size. The leaves’ rounded bottom and three points are significantly different in appearance than other maple leaves. The flowers are yellow and hang in chains (photo 7). Flowers are green drooping racemes, which later become paired samaras.

Nearby plants are likely to include hobblebush, Canada yew, mountain maple, oxalis, easternhophornbeam, American hornbeam, serviceberry, hawthorn and pawpaw.

Online References:

Acer pensylvanicum on Will Cook's site at Duke University

Acer pensylvanicum at the USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America site

Acer pensylvanicum at the University of Connecticut Plant Database

Acer pensylvanicum at the Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

1 · 10/15/2011 · Mount Wachusett, Princeton, MA
≈ 6 × 9" (14 × 22 cm)

2 · 6/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, MA
≈ 15 × 10" (39 × 26 cm)

Acer pensylvanicum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 8 Feb 2012.

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3 · 10/15/2011 · Mount Wachusett, Princeton, MA
≈ 6 × 9" (14 × 22 cm)

4 · 8/1/2009 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, ME
≈ 4 × 6' (1.2 × 1.8 m)

5 · 9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME

6 · 5/2/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Pepperell, MA

7 · 5/26/2008 · Wachusett Mountain Area, Princeton, MA
≈ 26 × 17" (66 × 44 cm)

Range:

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