Aceraceae
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
Blazing autumn color from one of North America's most iconic maples
Cephas via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
About this plant
Acer saccharum, the sugar maple, is a large deciduous tree in the family Aceraceae, and one of the most recognizable trees on the continent. Its canopy turns a spectrum of gold, orange, and deep red each autumn, a display that has made it a landmark of the northeastern landscape for centuries. It belongs to the genus Acer, a group known for its distinctive winged seed pairs and deeply lobed leaves.
As a perennial that grows outdoors, the sugar maple is a long-term investment in your yard rather than a seasonal project. It is rated across an extraordinarily wide USDA hardiness range, Zones 1a through 13b, which means it is theoretically adaptable to nearly every climate in the country, though it performs best where it has room to establish at its own pace. Difficulty is rated beginner, and weekly care averages around just ten minutes, making it a surprisingly low-demand choice for a tree of this stature.
Water needs are medium, so the tree is not thirsty by nature, but it does benefit from consistent moisture during its first few years in the ground. Once established, Acer saccharum is a largely self-sufficient presence: a tree you plant for the decades ahead, not just the season in front of you.
The gallery
Historical plates & modern photos
Bloom
Cephas via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
Gallery
Cephas via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
Gallery
Cephas via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
Gallery
Cephas via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
Gallery
Cephas via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
How to grow it
Five steps, start to bloom.
Written for beginners. If you've never grown anything before, this is all you need to keep this plant alive and happy.
Pick a spot
Find a spot with enough light for its needs. Plant it outdoors, ideally sheltered from the harshest afternoon wind.
Plant it
Any good all-purpose potting mix or well-drained garden soil will do. Give each plant enough room for its mature spread. Crowding causes more problems than undersizing the bed. Water it in gently once it's settled.
Water it
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, roughly once a week in summer. Soak the soil, then let it breathe before the next round.
Feed & tend
This one is very forgiving. A balanced all-purpose fertiliser at the start of the growing season is plenty, and you can skip a month without harm. Plan on 10 minutes a week of hands-on care: watering, a quick trim, checking for pests.
Enjoy it
Watch for new growth in spring and summer. If the leaves look tired, trim the oldest ones back to encourage fresh foliage.
Year at a glance
What to do, month by month.
Approximate for a temperate North American zone. Shift earlier the further south you garden, later the further north.
Jan
January: Rest
Dormant
Feb
February: Rest
Dormant
Mar
March: Wake up
New growth
Apr
April: Tend
Routine care
May
May: Tend
Routine care
Jun
June: Tend
Routine care
Jul
July: Tend
Routine care
Aug
August: Tend
Routine care
Sep
September: Tend
Routine care
Oct
October: Tend
Routine care
Nov
November: Wind down
Prep for dormancy
Dec
December: Rest
Dormant
Pet & people safety
We haven't verified this plant yet.
We only publish toxicity information when a human has checked it against a primary source. Until that happens, treat this plant as potentially harmful to pets and children: don't let it be eaten or chewed, and consult the ASPCA or your vet if anyone does. You can also search the ASPCA's public toxic-plant database below.
Bloomwise is not a substitute for veterinary or medical advice. Every line above comes from a hand-verified reference.
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Japanese Pachysandra
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Ground-hugging greenery that fills bare shade with quiet confidence
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Spring's first bold statement, written in rosy-pink bloom
Frequently asked
Common questions.
- What USDA zones does Sugar Maple grow in?
- Sugar Maple is hardy in USDA zones 1a to 13b. If your winter lows fall outside that range, grow it in a container you can bring indoors, or treat it as an annual.
- How often should I water Sugar Maple?
- Water about once a week in summer, adjusting for rainfall. Soak the soil, then let it breathe before watering again.
- How much sunlight does Sugar Maple need?
- Sugar Maple prefers four to six hours of sun, ideally morning light.
- Is Sugar Maple safe for pets?
- We haven't verified toxicity information for Sugar Maple. Treat it as potentially harmful and keep it out of reach of pets and children. If a pet eats any part of it, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- Is Sugar Maple good for beginners?
- Yes, this is a forgiving plant that tolerates inconsistent watering and the occasional missed feeding. A good choice for a first garden.
Sources
Plant facts on this page come from a blend of public-domain and open-licensed datasets: Biodiversity Heritage Library (historical botanical illustrations, public domain), USDA PLANTS (taxonomy, public domain), GBIF (occurrence and taxonomy, CC-BY 4.0), OpenFarm (crop guides, CC-BY-SA 3.0), and Open-Meteo (climate and hardiness lookup, CC-BY 4.0). Toxicity records come from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline; every row is hand-verified against a primary reference.