Acer saccharinum, Silver Maple, River Maple

Acer saccharinum, Silver Maple, River Maple, is a large fast-growing tree native to eastern North America, particularly abundant in the Ohio and Mississippi river vallies and adjacent lowland watersheds. The red flowers are female; the smaller yellowish flowers are male. Once widely grown as a shade tree, appealing for it's fast growth, but with age, branches become brittle, and the trunk becomes hollow. First introduced into English horticulture in 1725. Very early to bloom with separate staminate and pistallate flowers, fruits often fail to mature because of late frosts. Astringent inner bark traditionally used for diarrhea, dysentery, diuretic, for coughs, and as a wash for sores.

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