Similar to sugar maple with, perhaps, a slightly larger seed. Mature leaves have a whitish appearing underside. Young trees up to 4-8 inches with a smooth light gray bark, developing into gray or black ridges and ultimately narrow scaly plates. Fruit matures in spring. Silvery gray on young trees breaking into long thin scaly plates that give the trunks of older trees a very shaggy appearance.
Considerable red is seen in bark pattern as scales develop.
Similar to red maple but bruised or scraped bark has a very fetid or foul odor. One of two seeds present is often poorly developed or aborted. Fruit matures in spring. Area of commercial maple syrup production in North America. Sugar maple bark, fruit, leaf, and twig.