Sugar maple leaves have five points with moderately deep indentations in between. This species has watery sap, not the milky sap of the similar looking Norway maple.
Young trees have smooth silvery bark, but older individual develop a gray-brown furrowed bark.
The flowers are yellowish and small since they lack petals. The sugar maple is common throughout the Eastern U.S. black maple, a species very similar in appearance, is native to South Dakota. The beautfully grained wood is prized furniture, making these hardwood species especially valuable. Because of their density and durability, these maples are often used for gymnasium floors and bowling alleys. Click on any of the thumbnails below to view full-sized images.