Maple, Sugar (Acer saccharum)

NATIVE RANGE:

Canada down through Tennessee

DESCRIPTION:

Medium sized deciduous tree with distinct five lobed palmate leaves that turn bright yellow and red in fall, winged samaras.

Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum ID 103162303 © Donyanedomam | Dreamstime.com.jpg

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SUGAR SHACKS

Harvesting maple sap begins around March, when warm days and cool nights trigger the sap to flow. Every gallon of sap that is collected makes only 1 gallon of syrup. Boiling the sap down to its syrupy sweet form can take all day, at least 12 hours. The sugar shacks where this production takes places are often coated in a sticky film as the water evaporating from the sap leaves sugary traces on everything it touches.

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