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Acer floridanum
Acer floridanum (Chapm.) Pax
Southern Sugar Maple, Florida Maple, Caddo Maple, Rock Maple
Aceraceae (Maple Family)
Synonym(s): Acer barbatum, Acer barbatum var. longii, Acer barbatum var. villipes, Acer floridanum var. longii, Acer floridanum var. villipes, Acer nigrum var. floridanum, Acer saccharinum var. floridanum, Acer saccharum ssp. floridanum, Acer saccharum var. floridanum, Saccharodendron barbatum, Saccharodendron floridanum
USDA Symbol: ACFL
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
A small, spreading tree, Florida maple or Southern sugar maple is smaller in all parts but otherwise similar to A. saccharum, the sugar maple of the northeastern U.S. Its fall color is usually yellow and not as vibrant as the northern form. It grows 20-25 ft. tall.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Margin: Lobed
Fruit Type: Samara
Size Notes: Medium sized tree to 60 feet, elliptical crown.
Leaf: Green above, paler and fuzzy below.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower: Small flowers hang from a long (1 to 2 inches) stalk in clusters of a few flowers.
Fruit: Samara 3/4 inch long, mature in mid-summer.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Yellow , GreenBloom Time: Apr
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , LA , MO , MS , NC , SC , TN , TX , VANative Distribution: Piedmont & Coastal Plain areas of VA to FL, w. to southeast Kansas, eastern OK, & eastern TX
Native Habitat: Stream, river banks
Growing Conditions
Water Use: MediumLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Rich, moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Southern sugar maple is resistant to wind and ice.
Propagation
Propagation Material: SeedsDescription: Propagation is possible by seed.
Seed Collection: The winged fruit of maples is called a samara. Seed is usually not extracted from the samara.
Seed Treatment: For maximum germination, most maple species require a period of warm-moist stratification followed by cool stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Georgia Native Plant Society - Atlanta, GA
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE
Bibliography
Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. WasowskiBibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
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Additional resources
USDA: Find Acer floridanum in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Acer floridanum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Acer floridanum
Metadata
Record Modified: 2015-07-22Research By: TWC Staff