Maple Trees

Nothing makes a hike in the woods or a walk in the park quite as nice as the beautiful landscape dotted with towering trees. Trees provide us with shade, oxygen, air purification, and they’re just nice to look at, especially in the fall! But, what we might not realize is that much of the tree lies underground, and beneath the soils lies a problem waiting to happen.

Tree roots can damage building foundations, as well as sidewalks and pavements. The most common trees that damage building foundations include Norway maples, silver maples, oaks, ash, poplar, walnut, cottonwood, and sycamore trees. These trees have a high potential to do damage underground.

There are a few things that make your foundation more susceptible to root damage. But rest assured, there are ways to mitigate and even prevent roots from approaching your foundation altogether.

Can Trees Affect House Foundations?

Before we talk about the specific trees that can cause damage, let’s discuss the damage itself. How exactly do trees affect your home’s foundation?

According to the Wyoming Department of Public Works, up to 90% of tree roots are found in the top 12 inches of soil. Foundations range in depth from a few inches below the surface to a few feet. 

Needless to say, your foundation is right in the target zone of grasping roots.

There are two main ways that roots cause damage to your foundation. They will either lift your building up, causing cracks, or they will shrink the soil, which causes the foundation to settle.

Large crack in the wall of the house, background

Trees Can Lift Up House Foundations

The first way that roots can damage your foundation is by causing your home to lift up slightly. This puts pressure on the foundation, which can buckle and crack.

Roots on a healthy tree will grow annually, just like the trunk does. Purdue University states that, normally, when a root hits an impenetrable object (your foundation) they seek to go around instead of under

This is especially true because the soil beneath your foundation is probably compacted from the original construction and dried out due to the cover over the soil.

However, some roots are stubborn and are determined to go under your foundation, or through pre-existing cracks.

As the roots continue to grow, they will take up more and more space beneath your house, literally lifting the building by tiny fractions. 

This phenomenon is a lot less common than other root issues. You are more likely to find roots growing along your foundation than beneath it. 

Trees Can Cause Soil Shrinking Near Foundations

The more common way that roots damage your foundation is by shrinking the soil. So, how exactly do roots shrink the soil?

Roots will look for the most advantageous path to grow. This means plenty of moisture, loose soil, and lots of nutrients. While this doesn’t normally cause a problem, roots that make their way into clay soils can significantly alter the height of the soil when they come through.

Clay soils have a peculiar property where they can hold a ton of moisture. But, when that moisture is gone, clay soils tend to shrivel up and, you guessed it, shrink!

So, when roots are sucking in all the water they can get, they’re actually shrinking the soil around them. This, in turn, causes the foundation to settle. In the process of settling, cracks can form in the foundation.

Most Common Trees That Damage Your Foundation

Whether you’re building a new home or buying an existing home, you’ll want to take a close look at the landscape. What kind of trees do you see?

If you’re not sure, you can always use something like the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees to help you figure out what you’re looking at! 

Some trees are more prone to damaging foundations than others. According to Michigan State University, trees that are fast growers above ground are often growing just as fast belowground.

These are the trees that you want to look out for because their roots will be far- and fast-reaching. Let’s get into it!

Oak Trees Damage Foundations

Oak Tree in field

Oak trees aren’t as common in landscapes as other trees, but despite this, they tend to cause the most damage to homes. 

There are plenty of different oak tree species, about 90 in the United States alone. They’re typically considered slow-growers, but they are massive, many species being able to top out at 100’ or more.

These enormous oak tree organisms are held in place by a deep taproot that shoots directly beneath the trunk. As the tree grows, lateral roots take hold and begin snaking out from the tree in all directions. These roots can reach as far as three times the height of the tree.

In addition to being a danger to your foundation, some oak species are prone to limb drop. If you have an oak tree in your yard and a limb is hanging over your house, it’s best to remove it before it decides to drop on its own.

If you need a proper oak tree fertilizer, we wrote a guide on the best fertilizers for your oak tree!

Ash Tree Roots Cause Foundation Damage

Big Tree Ash With Pathway In Sunny Day In Park On Spring.

Ash trees are often confused with some of our other problem trees like poplars, hickory, and boxelder. 

The biggest problem with ash tree roots is that they are shallow. After the deep taproot is established, lateral roots form, both large and small. The ash tree’s large roots can equally be found in the A horizon of the soil (surface soil) as well as the B horizon (subsoil) according to the USDA Forest Service.

To identify an ash tree, check out the twigs! They will be opposite each other on the limbs instead of alternating like most other deciduous trees. 

Poplar Trees Damage Foundations

The third most damaging tree on our list is poplar trees. These are often confused with quaking aspen trees or birch trees.

Poplar tree roots are typically a mix of shallow and deep roots. They don’t do well in compacted soil such as from construction in urban and suburban areas. Instead, they’ll find small pockets of loose soil to grow their roots.

This makes older foundations especially susceptible to poplar tree roots. If you have a small crack or imperfection in your foundation, a poplar tree root will find it and move in, widening the crack.

Norway & Silver Maple Tree Roots Damage Foundation

Unlike oak, ash, and poplar tree, not all maple trees are bad for your foundation. The two that are of most concern are Norway and silver maples.

Both Norway and silver maples are fast growers. Norway maple’s root systems are so shallow they can compete with your lawn grass for nutrients! Silver maples are known for their massive and fast-growing root systems.

If you plant a silver maple, it’s recommended to plant it at least 10 feet from your foundation. More, if you’re able.

The Norway maple is one of the only trees known to actually lift foundation instead of damaging it via shrinking of clay soils.

If you need a good maple tree fertilizer, take a look at our guide on the best fertilizers for maple trees here!

Black Locust Trees Grow Fast & Roots Can Damage Your Foundation

Robinia pseudoacacia (Black Locust Tree)

Robinia pseudoacacia, the black locust, is a fast-growing tree native to the Eastern U.S. This tree is very hard to control once it’s established, which makes it a possible problem tree for homeowners.

Black locusts reproduce in a similar way to aspen trees by creating clones. This is done through a process called suckering, where new shoots form from dying roots or old stumps.

Besides the difficulty of controlling these advantageous trees, they also have a very wide, fibrous root system. This can be problematic for foundations, especially because the roots are fast-growing.

In fact, it’s better if you just don’t even look at a black locust tree…

Boxelder Trees Can Lift Your Foundation

Boxelder trees are not very desirable in yards, streets, or urban areas. They attract boxelder bugs, are short-lived, and have brittle wood prone to dropping.

However, according to the US Forest Service, they can grow in a wide variety of conditions and pop up here and there on their own in many areas.

Similar to Norway maples, boxelder trees have a very shallow root system that can lift sidewalks and foundations, rather than shrinking the soil and causing settling.

Not ideal to plant near your home.

Spruce Tree Roots Can Damage Your Foundation

two spruce trees

Two types of spruce trees can cause foundation damage. Brewer’s weeping spruce and the Norway spruce. Seems like Norway species are just a no-go all around, right?

According to a 2003 study, the roots of the Norway spruce prefer humus-rich soils, which are typically found near the surface in the O horizon. 

While brewer’s weeping spruce do not have roots as shallow as the Norway spruce, they still cling to surface soils, with a few vertical roots penetrating deeper to hold the tree in place.

In total, the deeper the roots go (and the wider,) the more likely you are to have problems.

Other Trees That Damage Foundation

While the list of potentially damaging trees is long, the above-mentioned trees are the most likely to damage your foundation.

Here 8 other trees that can damage your foundation:

  • Sweetgum
  • Walnut
  • Hickory
  • Cottonwood
  • Sycamore
  • Loblolly Pine
  • Crimean Pine
  • Tuliptree

These trees are not as likely to damage your foundation but have the potential due to their fast-growing and shallow roots.

How Do You Know If Tree Roots Are Damaging The Foundation?

Closeup of house foundation made from concrete shuttering blocks filled with mortar and reinforcement bars

It’s not unheard of for foundations to crack due to things other than tree roots. Soils naturally grow and shrink with weather conditions, buildings settle into the recently-dug soils, and even small tremors and earthquakes can cause damage, even if you can’t feel them.

Nonetheless, if you’re noticing small cracks around your foundation, you’ll want to learn what’s causing it as quickly as possible to avoid costly damage.

There’s really only one way to tell if tree roots are damaging your foundation, and that’s to physically look beneath the soil near your foundation and check for roots.

According to the University of Florida, you can do this by excavating the area around your foundation and looking for roots. This can be made easy if you draw a line from the nearest tree to your house and simply dig around this area of your foundation.

Don’t be fooled if you find no roots in the direct line from the tree. Roots can be far-reaching, so excavate a few feet in each direction to ensure you are seeing the whole scope of the root system.

How To Fix Damaged Foundation From Trees

Owning a home can be a wonderful experience. You get your own space, no need to worry about paying landlords or dealing with flimsy, thin walls between you and your neighbor.

But it’s a lot of work!

The last thing you want to deal with is damage to the very foundation of your home. Literally! Cracks and fissures in your foundation and sidewalk can be a headache, but there are ways to fix and prevent the damage from tree roots.

Water Your Foundation

Don’t worry, you read that right! It may sound strange, but watering the area around your foundation can fix your problem fast.

This typically works best if your foundation is built on clay soils. Trees tend to be stingy with their water, sucking in all they can get and leaving little for anything else around them.

When roots horde water, it causes clay soils to dry up, shrivel, and shrink. Watering the area around your foundation will inflate the soil back up, possibly closing the cracks on their own.

Even if your foundation damage isn’t caused by stingy tree roots, you can use this method to fix your foundation.

Plant Less Invasive Species

This solution doesn’t really work if there are invasive trees already in your yard. Unless you want to spend the money cutting them down and planting new trees, you may be stuck with your current landscape trees.

However, if you’re thinking of planting new trees or have just built a home and have the option to choose your landscape trees, pick tree species that are less harmful to the foundation.

Trees that are not prone to building damage include:

  • Cypress Trees: There are several different types of cypress trees, but most have a deep taproot that is accompanied by lateral roots. These roots do not generally break the surface or cause problems in building foundations.
  • Fruit Trees: Trees from the genus Prunus are pretty safe to plant around homes. These include plum, cherry, peach, apricot, and almond trees.
  • Pine Trees: Except for Crimean, loblolly, and swiss tone pine, pine trees are an excellent choice to plant in your yard. Their roots tend to grow down instead of out, keeping your foundation safe from pesky roots.

Use A Tree Root Barrier To Save Your Foundation

Root barriers are meant to guide roots in a particular direction such as away from your foundation. They work by creating an impenetrable barrier that the roots cannot poke through, and must go around.

Something like DeepRoot Tree Root Barrier can help guide destructive roots away from your foundation, paved driveway, or sidewalks. The great thing about the DeepRoot product is it comes in a variety of sizes, so you can choose what best suits your situation.

Root barriers are especially effective on shallow root systems, which is what most of the damaging trees have. You can even use these on non-damaging roots such as bushes planted close to the house.

Getting To The Root Of The Problem!

Trees can add a lot of value to your landscape and they provide shelter, food, and shade to plenty of little critters that can be fun to watch. But one thing we don’t want our trees to do is harm our homes.

For trees like oak trees, they live for quite some time. Oak trees generally have a long lifespan. So, these foundation problems will only continue to grow!

If you notice cracks or fissures in your foundation, roots are not always the culprit. Be sure to check out what kind of trees are around your home to figure out if you have one of the more damaging trees around.

To recap, the trees most likely to damage your foundation include:

  • Oak
  • Ash
  • Poplar
  • Silver Maple
  • Norway Maple
  • Black Locust
  • Boxelder 
  • Norway Spruce
  • Brewer’s Weeping Spruce

There are a host of other potentially damaging trees, but these 9 seem to be the most often talked about and the most destructive.

Trees with shallow roots that are less far-reaching come with their own problems. These trees tend to be susceptible to wind damage and can blow over more easily than trees that have deep taproots and far-reaching lateral roots.

Taking steps to prevent roots from reaching your foundation before you have a problem is the best approach to dealing with invasive roots. But all in all, trees tend to have a more positive impact on our yards than negative, especially if you’re aware of and prepared for wandering roots.

References:

Biddle, G. (2001, October 10-13). Tree Root Damage to Buildings [Shallow Foundation and Soil Properties Committee Sessions at ASCE Civil Engineering Conference]. Houston, Texas. https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/40592(270)1

Hitchmough, J., & Fieldhouse, K. (2008). Plant User Handbook: A Guide to Effective Specifying. John Wiley & Sons.

Randrup, T. B., McPherson, E. G., & Costello, L. R. (2001, March). Tree Root Intrusion in Sewer Systems: Review of Extent and Costs. Journal of Infrastructure Systems, 7(1). https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/(ASCE)1076-0342(2001)7:1(26)

Roberts, J., Jackson, N., & Smith, M. (2006). Tree Roots in the Built Environment. The Stationery Office.

Chances are, you do not enjoy raking your yard (who does?) So when planning your landscaping, research trees that produce a lower mess. Trees that produce less mess are important for you as you will not be raking, cleaning pollen off your car, or cleaning your gutters often.

In truth, the dirtiest and messiest trees for your yard are sweet gum, ash, bradford pear, pecan, northern catalpa, cottonwood, hackberry, silver maple, weeping willow, southern magnolia, loquat, gingko and red oak trees. These trees either drop leaves, debris, pollen, and fruits in your yard.

Below is a list of trees that someone looking for a low-maintenance yard should not plant. These trees each have unique qualities and needs for care. While these trees aren’t bad to plant in your yard, they can be quite dirty and messy over time.

How Clean Are Sweet Gum Trees?

Sweetgum seeds on tree

Although this tree is exquisite to look at, it comes with a price. This tree produces a massive mess for you to clean up.

The seed pods of the Sweet Gum tree are tiny spiky balls. Native to Kentucky, this tree can grow to over 70 feet tall in full adulthood, meaning you will have a ton of tiny spiky balls haunting your yard.

These balls will not only cause you issues, but your neighbors may experience them as well. Sweet gum tree balls also hurt to step on if you walk outside barefoot.

The good news about this tree? There is a non-fruiting variety. This is great for you if you love the look but hate the clean-up!

Weeping Willow Trees Leave a Big Mess

a large green crown of a weeping willow against a blue cloudless sky on a clear sunny summer day

This tree is single-handedly the worst possible tree to plant. Don’t get me wrong, the tree is beautiful, but it is a pain to maintain.

Willows are constantly shedding twigs, branches, and other debris. You will regularly have to clean up after a weeping willow. The main issue is the willow tree leaves. As they grow older, weeping willow trees shed more and more leaves, causing a bigger mess.

Another issue with the weeping willow is their love for the water. These trees will seek water out by any means possible and can compete with other trees nearby for resources.

They will rip up driveways, sidewalks, and anything in their path on their hunt for water. Their roots will tear up pipes and be overall destructive.

So overall yes, willows can be a dirty or messy tree if not maintained properly.

If you’ve ever wondered, you can learn more about the difference between willow and weeping willow trees here.

Are Ash Trees Dirty?

single ash tree

Ash trees are deciduous trees, meaning they shed their leaves in the fall. They grow to be well over 50 feet tall. That is a lot of leaves to fall! 

Not only do ash trees drop their leaves everywhere, but their seeds, often called samaras, are also a mess! Their winged seeds float in the air and land nearby the tree, causing a mess on your ground.

So, in all, ash trees are a somewhat dirty tree to just have out in the middle of your yard.

The good thing about Ash? You can make the wood into wonderful furniture. If you are an avid woodworker, definitely consider this tree!

Why Bradford Pear Trees Are Messy For Your Yard

Bradford Pear Trees

Do you like pears? Do you want to grow pears? Well, this tree is not for you. The fruit it produces is inedible. 

These trees flower every year. Some say the flowers even stink. Those flowers turn into tiny fruit; however, you cannot eat them. Bradford pear trees also have extremely weak branches. So, you’ll have inedible fruit and a plethora of branches in your yard if you plant a bradford pear tree.

The bradford pear tree is an invasive tree and can wreak havoc with its roots in your pipelines. Your space is better taken up by a beneficial tree rather than this ornamental mess.

Their invasive nature makes them a real problem for landowners. These trees can cross-pollinate and when birds and other wildlife eat the fruit, they spread the seeds. Those trees invade land and cost money and time to remove.

Are Pecan Trees Messy/Dirty For Your Yard?

pecan nuts in the organic garden plant

Who doesn’t love a good pecan pie? Well, maybe some of those who grow pecans. 

Pecan trees can be messy trees to cultivate. This is because of the nuts that fall every year in the fall. When they drop these nuts, they can leave your yard in shambles.

When pecans fall off the tree, their casing comes off the nut first. If it is still green, it releases a brown dye and stains everything. Squirrels may also leave nutshells all over the yard. 

The wood is a top choice for smoking meat. Often the tree drops branches and leaves everywhere. For some, these branches are great. If you have no use for them, they can be a real pain. 

Northern Catalpas Are Messy Trees

Catalpa speciosa white flowers and foliage.

This tree is a beautiful addition to any yard. It flowers yearly, giving your yard beautiful fragrant white flowers. It also grows to be 40 to 50 feet tall. 

This sounds like the best tree, right? Well, the catch is, northern catalpa trees are a mess. Those flowers and seed pods fall yearly, creating a lot of clutter you will have to clean up. These flower petals can be slippery when decaying as well. 

Another issue with this tree is its wood. The wood can be very brittle, meaning if you live anywhere with storms and most of us do, cleaning up fallen limbs will be necessary.

Why Are Cottonwood Trees Bad?

Season of flowering poplar fluff on a close-up branch

Cottonwood trees are a member of the deciduous family. They can grow between 50 to 80 feet tall.

The cottonwood tree’s fatal flaw: their cotton-like fibers. During late spring to early summer, these trees drop their cotton fibers. These are the seeds of the tree. These lead to an absolute mess in your yard.

Cottonwood tree seeds get everywhere, and I mean, everywhere! They go miles around the tree. Not only will it plague you with the white fluff, your neighbors will be too.

It is the glitter of the tree world!

Another major problem is these trees’ pollen. If you have hay fever: you will be miserable! 

Why Are Hackberry Trees Bad For Your Yard?

Prunus padus, bird cherry, hackberry, hagberry, Mayday tree white flowers

This tree produces fruits that are typically consumed by wildlife (bird cherry.)

The fruits of hackberry trees, when not consumed, will fall to the ground. They litter the area and rot, causing flies and other insects to appear. This leads to a very messy and dirty tree, which can attract unwanted wildlife to your property as well.

If wildlife is not your goal, this tree is not for you. Wild animals can cause problems for you and your family by making messes all over your yard.

Raccoons and bears would be the most prominent issue. Bears can knock over garbage cans, littering your yard with garbage. Not only will bears do this, but they also often break into cars. 

Silver Maple Trees Are Dirty/Messy For Your Yard

Spring view of Silver Maple Trees in a sunny day, Green Park, London

Silver Maple trees are known for their beauty. They make fantastic additions to landscapes. Their silver bark is a stark contrast to darker barked trees. 

However, Silver Maple trees have a fatal flaw. These trees are so resilient that their roots will tear up everything. They will rip up foundations of homes, sidewalks, and even sewer lines.

Fallen leaves are another concern, but this is common with any tree. You will need to rake often when leaves fall to the ground. These leaves can cause the grass to die and be a hiding spot for various species of wildlife.

On the bright side, silver maple trees can actually be tapped for maple syrup! You can learn more about tapping silver maple trees for maple syrup here.

Are Red Oak Trees Messy?

old northern red oak tree (Quercus rubra) with colorful autumn leaves in a park, seasonal landscape

These trees are in the oak family, and oak trees are, by nature, dirty trees. Everything they do makes a mess. 

First off, oak trees produce acorns. Acorns drop everywhere and squirrels eat them, leaving empty shells around. When squirrels bury the nuts, they sometimes sprout and cause trees to germinate in undesirable places. 

Oak trees produce pollen; this pollen coats everything in a yellow powder. Not only does the pollen get everywhere, the pollen often causes allergies. 

These trees lose their leaves every year. Which means, of course, the leaves fall and coat the ground. Leaves on the ground can kill your grass, so the only option is to rake them up. 

The leaves of a oak trees can actually get pretty big. Thus, you’ll have significantly more clean up to do once the red oak leaves fall.

Leaves, acorns, and pollen will clog your gutters. Not only that, but red oak trees are very large. If branches fall, they can cause major damage to vehicles and homes.

Again, this is the same with all trees. Are all trees dirty? to some extent, but red oak trees are pretty large on their own. You could similarly argue that every other oak tree is just as dirty, as well.

Red oak trees and white oak trees can cause some similar issues.

White Mulberry Tree Berries Can Leave Stains

mulberry berries

Mulberry trees are renowned for their delicious berries! These dark berries make tasty jams, pies, and other desserts. 

The downfall is these berries fall everywhere and stain everything. This becomes an issue if a mulberry tree is planted near your house or deck. Additionally, what doesn’t fall attracts wildlife. They also create a spreading forest of mulberries.

If you do not want a stained yard or a large population of wildlife, do not plant this tree.

Southern Magnolia Trees Can Be Messy

the Magnolia tree. Beautiful blooming white Magnolia flower on a tree with green leaves

Magnolias are a southern gem. When you speak to any southerner about these, they will rave about the flowers produced. The flowers smell divine. Southern magnolias are a favorite among tree enthusiasts and a Florida native.

Another thing a southerner will tell you, these trees are messy! Once the flowers die back, they leave these seed pods. These seed pods fall everywhere. Another issue is the leaves, like most trees, which will cover any plants or grass unless raked and removed.

Even though this tree is beautiful, it is a mess. Heed this warning before planting.

Loquat Trees Are A Mess

Vew of a loquat tree filled with fruits in spring season.

Loquat trees originate from China. These trees produce sweet fruit with seeds in the center. The loquat is a fruit loved by many.

Unfortunately, loquat trees are quite messy. The fruit has a thick skin that you must peel to enjoy it. The fruit that is not eaten drops to the ground. These fallen fruits will ferment. This creates a smell that attracts flies. It will make your entire yard smell unpleasant.

These fruits can also attract animals. Animals like raccoons love to make a mess of your yard over these delicious fruits.

Ginkgo Trees Are Very Messy For Your Yard

Large tree Ginkgo biloba in autumn

Ginkgo trees originate from Japan. These trees are dioecious, which means they have separate sexes. Most only plant male trees for their yards. 

If you end up with a female ginkgo tree, you are in for a real journey (pun intended.)

The female Ginkgo tree produces seeds. These seeds are covered in flesh and once they mature, they stink. Often this smell is described as having an odor similar to vomit. The cause of this is butanoic acid. Male ginkgo trees can actually turn into female trees on their own and produce seeds regardless!

If you do not want your yard to smell like vomit, avoid this tree at all costs. The ginkgo tree is in-fact one of the dirties/messiest trees for your yard.

How Do You Deal With Tree Droppings?

If you decide you want a tree that drops leaves, seeds, or any other debris, you may wonder how to clean it up. 

A good rake is necessary to pick up after your trees. For leaves, you can just use a leaf blower like the SnapFresh Leaf Blower. You cannot go wrong with the dual speeds, ergonomic design, and cordless capabilities!

However, when blowing leaves do not blow them into the street as it can create a hazard for motorcyclists. 

Another valid option is to hire a lawn care service. Typically, these services charge extra for leaf pickup. Most, however, will run over tree droppings with their mowers.

An option for nuts is a collector like the Large Nut Gatherer, which is easy to operate, ergonomic, and comes with a storage bag for the nuts you pick up. These work great for collecting up any nuts that drop. This tool will even work for pine cones and pine cone-like debris. 

Having animals like goats will help pick up debris off the ground. Goats love oak trees and will eat fallen leaves and acorns.

How Do You Stop A Tree From Dripping Sap?

The truth about trees dripping sap, often, it isn’t even sap. Most trees do not produce sap. If they are dripping something that looks like sap, it is probably honeydew.

Mostly, honeydew is caused by pests. Pests include:

  • Aphids
  • Lace bugs
  • Cicadas
  • Scale

Knowing pests is important in preventing an infestation. The best way to prevent infestations is to get ahead of the bugs.

Diatomaceous earth and Neem oil are fantastic ways to deter insects. Commercial sprays like the Bonide (BND204) – Fruit Tree Spray Concentrate are effective ways of treating infestations. This spray contains insecticides, fungicides, and many other pest repellants. 

What Can I Do With Tree Droppings?

So, what if you already have some of these trees that constantly drop things into your yard? Well, here’s a few simple tips.

Repurpose Fallen Tree Acorns

Sometimes, fallen leaves, nuts, and branches are a blessing in disguise. You can collect these items and use them for various things around the home. 

One use for nuts from your trees is cooking and eating. Some use acorns to produce flour. These flours can be a great alternative used for baking or arts & crafts!

Check out our guide for 9 amazing fallen acorn uses!

Use Fallen Leaves For Compost

Now, instead of blowing away the leaves, there’s another option.

You can use leaves in your compost. This will help provide the brown and green material you put in. Compost is important for everyone as it is useful in multiple ways for your various plants!

Repurpose Fallen Tree Limbs And Branches

Limbs and branches are species-dependent. Some, like oak and pecan trees, work great for smoking meat! You can use others inside garden beds under the soil to help feed your plants. 

Another cool use for branches and other debris is making your own decor. Many crafty people use natural items like pinecones to make crafts. This can be a fun way to upcycle your yard debris!

That’s All For Now!

Personal preference is the crucial deciding factor in all landscaping matters. No two trees are alike, just as no two people are alike. 

The way you think and work should drive the species you choose. It is not a tree’s fault your yard is dirty. Choosing the landscape that optimizes your lifestyle is the best method for you.

Choosing fruit trees based on taste helps eliminate fruit waste and mess. Thorough research is key to not making mistakes when deciding what trees to plant. While many trees are perfect for everyone, these just aren’t.

While a lot of these trees are beautiful, a fatal flaw of many of them is the amount of debris they drop. Understanding yourself is important to landscaping. Choose trees that fit your lifestyle overall. 

Trees are expensive, so planting ones you will ultimately hate is a mistake nobody wants to make. Some of these trees also have unique care properties not fit for those who hate maintenance. 

Landscape according to your time, taste, and goals for your yard. A well-landscaped yard with the proper trees can be your personal oasis. I would hate for you to regret any tree choices!

References 

Gabriel, W. J. (1990). Acer saccharinum L. Silver maple. Silvics of North America2, 70-77.

Martin, P. (1983). Factors influencing globe huckleberry fruit production in northwestern Montana. Bears: Their Biology and Management, 159-165.

Jul 21, Factsheet | HGIC 1032 | Published:, and 2014 | Print. “Ginkgo or Maidenhair Tree.” Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina, 2014, hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/ginkgo-or-maidenhair-tree/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2021.

“Magnolia Grandiflora (Bull Bay, Large Tree Magnolia, Southern Magnolia) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” Plants.ces.ncsu.edu, plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/magnolia-grandiflora/.

“Salix Babylonica (Weeping Willow) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” Plants.ces.ncsu.edu, plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salix-babylonica/.

Tapping trees for maple syrup is a fun early spring activity. Many different kinds of trees can be tapped for maple syrup. In fact, any deciduous tree can be tapped for syrup. However, some trees produce better quality sap than others. Let’s go over the best trees to tap for delicious maple syrup!

Some of the best trees that can be tapped for syrup are sugar maples, black maples, red maples, Norway maples and silver maples. Each of these trees has different sugar content in its sap resulting in a sweeter or more dry syrup. Sugar and red maples have the sweetest sap for syrup.

Read on for more information about what trees you can tap for maple syrup, how to find these trees, and how to tap them for sugaring that will yield the most sap and do the least amount of harm to the tree.

The Best Trees For Maple Syrup

Almost any leafy tree can be tapped for its sap, but certain trees have sap with higher sugar content, making them more ideal for tapping. Below are some of the BEST trees for making maple syrup. 

The sugar content of the sap affects how much sap you will need to produce a sweet syrup. Trees with higher sugar content can yield more maple syrup with less sap.

Sugar Maples Provide The Sweetest Syrup

Maple Sap Dripping into a Bucket

The sugar maple has the highest concentration of sugar in its sap, as its name implies. The sugar maple is native to North America and loves the sun and well-drained soils. The sugar maple will grow in partial sun but prefers areas where it can sunbathe just about all day!

This tree grows at a medium rate, tacking on about 12”-24” each year. The sugar maple can be identified by the color of its leaves, which are dark green on one side and a lighter green on the underside. In the Fall, their leaves will change to gorgeous yellows, oranges, and reds.

You can also look at the shape of the leaves along with the color to identify a sugar maple. The leaves contain three to five lobes and have smooth edges in between them.

Black Maple Trees Produce Less Sap Than Sugar Maples

The black maple tree is native to the Central and Eastern United States. This tree is fairly common and grows at a medium rate of 12”-24” per year. Black maples can grow to be between 60-80 feet tall at their full maturity.

Can you tell the difference between oak and maple trees? If not, here a great article to help.

The biggest difference between sugar maple and black maple can be identified by the leaves. The black maple has three lobes that seem to droop and sag, whereas a sugar maple more often has five firm-standing lobes on its leaves. 

The leaves of a black maple tend to have longer leaf stalks, a dark green color all around, and turn a bright yellow in the Fall. Black maples and sugar maples have similar sugar content in their sap, so consider yourself lucky if you have either one in your backyard!

Red Maple Trees Have Brilliant Red Leaves

The red maple tree grows in Eastern and Central North America, growing as far north as Quebec and as far south as Texas and Florida. The red maple is most famously known for its brilliant red leaves and is the most common tree in Eastern North America.

Here are a few tips for growing and fertilizing maple trees.

Identifying the red maple is fairly easy. You can pick this tree out from other maples by its reddish twigs and five-lobed leaves with segregated edges. The red maple is used for maple syrup production on a smaller scale than some other trees that can be tapped for syrup. 

The University of Maine, in a fact sheet from its Signs Of The Seasons: A New England Phenology Program, notes that the most obvious way to identify a red maple is that it has five lobes that reach out from the center, closely resembling how fingers extend from the palm of a hand.

One of the reasons the red maple is among the most common trees is because it’s not too picky about where it grows. The soil conditions can vary widely and it’s not too bothered by sun or shade. At its mature height, you can expect a red maple to be anywhere from 90’-120’.

Norway Maple Trees Have Five Wide Lobed Leaves

Autumnal foliage of Norway maple against blue sky

Norway maples are deciduous trees that are considered invasive. These trees can be seen as a problem because they can grow at a faster rate than some other native trees and take over areas. They’ll elbow out other maple trees with their shade tolerance, and in turn, block the sun from smaller trees.

Because they can grow in so many different conditions, these trees are often found in urban areas where their shallow root structures can still grow. You can identify a Norway maple by its wide, five-lobed leaves. However, if you look at the bark this will provide you with more clues to identification as the bark of a Norway Maple is a grayish-black color and has a furrowed texture. 

In the Fall, Norway maples are pretty lame. Unlike sugar, black, or red maples, a Norway maple does not change colors. Instead, their leaves tend to develop dark spots and fall to the forest floor before they get a chance to change colors.

Silver Maple Trees Have White Coloring Underneath Their Leaves

Silver maple trees can grow in many different types of soil and can survive through some periods of drought. These trees grow best in slightly warmer climates in the United States and Canada. 

A lot of maple leaves look the same, but our silver maple has a distinguishing feature that you can use to identify it! Although it is light green on top, just like other maples, the underside of the leaf is white. Additionally, you can look for five deep, sharp, and segregated lobes to confirm your observations. 

The bark of silver maple is grayish in color, but its leaves, with their white coloring underneath, are their biggest identifying factor. 

Silver maple trees can grow from 50’-80’ high and is one of the fastest-growing of all the maple trees. Some trees can reach 50’ in only 20 years of growth!

Where To Find Trees For Maple Syrup

Any species of maple tree can be tapped for syrup, along with some other non-maple trees, such as birch trees or black walnut trees. These trees, which have over 125 different species, can be found in different areas of the world, are commonly native to Asia, and can be found in different areas of Europe, as well as Northern Africa and North America. 

While maple trees can be found in many different places,  maple syrup production, as well as the trees that are tapped for their sap to make maple syrup, is located primarily in Southeast Canada and the Northeast United States. 

Trees should be tapped for maple syrup at the tail end of winter and the very beginning of spring for the best results. However, if you are planning on tapping trees for sap, you will want to start finding and identifying trees in the Fall. 

Fall is the best time of the year to find and identify trees for tapping. Why? Imagine trying to identify a maple tree by its leaves in the winter…there are no leaves! So, save yourself the hassle and plan ahead by scoping out trees in the fall.

How To Identify Trees For Maple Syrup

sampler of pure maple syrup (golden, amber and gold) - small glass bottles against rustic wood

Once the leaves of the deciduous trees start to change color in Fall, it’s time to head out to identify trees that can be tapped for maple syrup. 

Bring a tape measure, something to mark the trees with, and a notebook to make notes on where the trees are. Or if you’re into futuristic stuff, you can document the trees you identify and their location with your phone. 

Identify Maple Syrup Trees By Their Leaves

If you are identifying trees to tap for syrup in the fall you will have the advantage of using the different color leaves to help with identification. You can use a field guide like this Guide To Maple Tapping: A Tree To Table Handbook For The Maple Tapper to help you identify the trees, tap them, and even learn to process the sap into syrup. 

You can also use an app on your phone to help you identify trees by the shape and fall coloring of their leaves.

You will also be looking at the shape of the leaves to identify which trees you want to use for tapping. Some maples will have three lobes, while others will have five. The edges of maple leaves can also be jagged or smooth. A good guidebook will help you identify the different leaf shapes. 

Make Sure The Maple Syrup Tree is 10 Inches Wide

Once you identify a type of tree that can be tapped for maple syrup, you will want to measure it to make sure it is tall enough and wide enough.

Measure the tree to be sure it is at least 10 inches wide. Next, you will want to measure that the tree is at least 4 feet tall from the ground. 

While 10 inches is the most commonly recommended width for tapping a tree for sap, the University Of New Hampshire’s article, Maple Syruping Tips For Beginners And Backyard Maple Sugar Producers notes that a tree should be no smaller than 12” in diameter to be tapped. 

Measuring the trees to confirm that they meet these initial requirements will help you choose trees that are both mature enough to give sap and are mature enough to withstand the process of taping without taking too much damage. 

Does Tapping For Syrup Hurt The Tree?

Tapping trees for syrup can harm the tree, but if you follow a few rules, the damage is minimal and heals over time as the tree grows.

First, you only want to tap a tree for syrup that is over four feet high and 10 inches around. Attempting to tap anything smaller and you could kill the tree. You will also want to use only one tap per tree. This yields the most sap and causes the least damage to the tree.

Finally, the time of the year you tap the tree is important for both retrieving the most sap and for preventing damage to the tree. Tapping the tree for sap when it is still freezing temperatures or below at night and slightly warmer during the day will give you the best results.

The Best Time To Tap Trees For Maple Syrup

Three pails attached to a maple tree to collect sap. Maple syrup production, springtime in Quebec.

The ideal time of the year to tap trees for sap that you can turn into maple syrup is in the late winter, as soon as the season is about to turn to spring. More specifically, you will want to tap a tree when the nighttime temperatures are still freezing (at or under 32 degrees) and the day temperatures are a bit warmer.

The ideal temperature to get the sap flowing is when it is 20-32 degrees at night and no warmer than 40 degrees in the day.

When you tap the trees in warmer temperatures, the hole from your tap cold close up. When this happens you would have to re-tap the same tree, which is when you can start to cause damage. 

You can tap maple trees with simple equipment you may already have, or you can buy a Maple Syrup Tree Tapping Kit to get started.

Wrapping It Up!

Tapping trees for sap and making maple syrup is an old tradition that still remains popular today. When done correctly, you can tap maple trees for sap over a long period. The first step in sourcing trees for tapping is to learn what types of trees are best for making syrup.

Next, you will want to identify the trees that you want to tap. Following the steps above will help you get started with this much-loved early spring tradition of tapping maple trees for sap and making your own syrup.

References:

Copenheaver, Carolyn A., et al. “Decreased radial growth in sugar maple trees tapped for maple syrup.” The Forestry Chronicle 90.6 (2014): 771-777.

Ouimet, Rock, et al. “Effect of tapping for syrup production on sugar maple tree growth in the Quebec Appalachians.” Trees 35.1 (2021): 1-13.

Van den Berg, Abby K., et al. “Growth rates of sugar maple trees tapped for maple syrup production using high-yield sap collection practices.” Forest Science 62.1 (2016): 107-114.

Today we’re talking about the fastest growing shade trees for your small yard; whether you’re familiar with landscaping or not, we’ve got a list to transform your small, shady yard!

In truth, there are several shade tree varieties that grow the fastest. The saucer magnolia, sweetbay magnolia, flowering dogwood, American redbud, emerald green arborvitae, paper birch, river birch, red maple, sargent cherry, and hakuro nishiki are the fastest growing shade trees for small yards.

Read on to learn about shade trees for your yard that will grow fast, with our list of trees to make your shady backyard even more beautiful! Here are 12 fast-growing shade trees for small yards.

Japanese Maple Tree, Acer palmatum

Japanese Maple - Acer palmatum

Japanese maples, Acer palmatum, are gorgeous trees that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. What’s great about these trees is that depending on the size of your yard, you can probably find one that will work for it!

Japanese maples thrive in a range of sunlight conditions. They prefer partial shade but can do well in full sun and partial sun! They also range anywhere from 2-30 feet tall and come in a variety of shapes. Whether you want a gorgeous large canopy tree, a smaller delicate tree, or something that has a classic look, Japanese maples seriously do it all. 

You will be in lust over their foliage, which ranges through dark red, deep burgundy, shades of green, burnt orange, white and pink!

Something to keep in mind when choosing a Japanese maple is that they do best in zones 5-8. They will suffer in zones less than 5 and higher than 8 due to more extreme temperatures.

Here are a few species of Japanese maple that would be good for small spaces:

  1. Emperor I: The name of this tree says it all. The deep burgundy and purple foliage will stun you in the fall; this grows up to 15 feet wide and tall and does well in partial to full sun.
  2. Autumn Moon Fullmoon: This species will captivate you in the fall with its burnt orange foliage. This tree grows up to 10 ft tall and wide and does well in partial shade to partial sun.
  3. Shaina: This is a dwarf species that has red and maroon foliage; this species grows up to 8 ft tall and wide and does well in partial shade to full sun.
  4. Crimson Queen: With their gorgeous dark crimson leaves, this dwarf, weeping species grows up to 10 feet tall and wide and does best in partial sun to full sun.

If you’re interested, you can purchase a live Japanese Red Maple Tree (already 1-2 feet tall) here.

Crape Myrtle Tree, Lagerstroemia

Golf cart in front of Crepe Myrtle tree

The crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia, is an incredibly beautiful tree that offers year-round interest. In the summer, the crape myrtle has elegant showy flowers ranging from shades of pink to purple. This tree does well in full sun, partial sun, and partial shade.

In the winter, it loses its foliage, which reveals its delicate and intricate velvet bark. Although these trees grow 20-40 feet tall, they have a decently small footprint. Once crape myrtles are established, they are pretty low maintenance and resilient. They are fairly drought and heat-tolerant and require pruning every so often for shaping. 

You’ll see these trees in the south and out west in the United States. If you live in zones 6-10, these are a great option to plant in your small shady space!

Better yet, these trees are quite cost effective and pack a lot for the punch! You can get a bundle of 4 Muskogee Crepe Myrtle Tree’s here.

Saucer Magnolia Tree, Magnolia x soulangeana

Spring background, blossoming Magnolia x soulangeana tree.

If you’ve ever seen a magnolia tree in person, you’ll understand why I am obsessed with these trees! They are truly magnificent specimens. 

This magnolia is a smaller tree with saucer-shaped flowers that range from pink and white to dark pink and purple. Typically, certain magnolias grow anywhere between 60-70 feet tall. 

However, the saucer magnolia, magnolia x soulangeana, grows up to 25 feet tall and blooms mid-spring. This is a perfect addition to add to your small space since it is a fast grower and grows well in the sun or partial shade. 

The saucer magnolia does best in acidic and well-draining soil but can tolerate most soils. It also grows best in zones 5-9. It can also be shaped to be around, large shrub, or kept as a tree.

If you’d like to plant it, you can have a young saucer magnolia tree shipped in right to your house!

Sweetbay Magnolia Tree, Magnolia virginiana

magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) aka Magnolia Sweetbay tree

Another magnolia to add to your small, shady yard is the sweetbay magnolia, Magnolia virginiana.

This fast-growing magnolia will grow between 1-2 feet per year. This magnolia species grows between 10-35 feet tall and wide, making it perfect for small spaces.

The sweetbay magnolia is an easy tree to grow, requiring minimal maintenance. It grows well in full sun or part shade; however, more sun will result in more blooms.

This tree might be a great overall tree for your space! It can also tolerate wet, acidic soil but easily grows in loamy, moist, rich, sandy, clayey, and silty soils.

Take a look at this 3 pack of sweet bay magnolia trees – which can be shipped right to your yard!

Flowering Dogwood Tree, Cornus florida

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae native to eastern North America and northern Mexico.

The flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, is a gorgeous, small shade tree with reddish flowers. This dogwood species grows to 20-25 feet tall and 12-15 feet wide, making it a perfect addition to your yard. 

Once you see a dogwood tree flower, you may become obsessed!

The dogwood flowers are unlike most flower shapes that we’re familiar with. Dogwood bracts are beautiful, showy leaves that look like flowers! These are actually called bracts, and they surround tiny little yellow flowers that make up the center of the bract, or what we know as the ‘flower.’

The bract leaves look like flower petals and are usually pink; red, or white, and in this case red!

They have a gorgeous canopy and shape with delicate, lattice-like branches. This dogwood species can tolerate moist and well-draining soils but would prefer acidic soil.

If you’d like to plant a flowering dogwood tree in your yard, take a peak at Brighter Blooms White Dogwood Tree (same as flowering dogwood.)

American Redbud Tree, Cercis canadensis

Redbud tree in bloom

The American redbud or eastern redbud, Cercis canadensis, is a tree that you soon won’t forget. The redbud is known for its heart-shaped leaves with dark pink and flowers that bloom in early spring.

This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with 1-2 feet of growth per year. When mature, the American redbud is 20-30 feet tall and 25-35 feet wide. The redbud does well in all types of soil, from sandy to clay soils, ranging from alkaline to acidic. It also prefers partial shade to full sun, which is perfect for almost any space in your yard!

The gorgeous blooms on this tree draw butterflies and songbirds and provide nesting sites for a variety of birds.

The American redbud will provide you with beautiful heart-shaped foliage that changes in color from dark purple to yellow, stunning pink-purple flowers, and a beautiful and elegant shape, making this tree a stunning choice for year-round interest in your yard or outdoor space.

Emerald Green Arborvitae Tree, Thuja occidentalis (Smaragd)

Green hedge of thuja trees. Green hedge of the tui tree. Nature, background

The emerald green arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd,’ is an evergreen that offers year-round color and interest. They are low-maintenance plants and grow up to 10-15 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. This fast-growing tree grows 1-2 feet in the first few years and 6-9 inches per year after that. 

This arborvitae is great for all types of landscapes. It offers privacy with its dense foliage and grows well in full sun to partial shade. The emerald green arborvitae will easily adapt to a variety of soil conditions, temperatures, and lighting. 

This tree grows in a pyramid-like narrow shape and can be trimmed to your liking for shaping. The size and tolerance of this tree make it perfect for any space. This is not to be confused with the green giant arborvitae, which grows up to 50-60 feet tall and 12-20 feet wide!

You can grab ready to plant Thuja occidentalis Smaragd trees here.

Paper Birch Tree, Betula papyrifera

Birch tree trunk in the sun outdoors in summer closeup. Birch bark in natural environment in sunlight in the morning.

The paper birch, Betula papyrifera, also known as the American white birch and the canoe birch. It is similar to that of the river birch with its peeling bark. 

The delicate bark of the paper birch is beautiful and thin with elegant white color. It is found mostly in New England and grows between one to two feet per year. This spectacular tree grows in full sun and partial shade and stuns with its beautiful yellow foliage. This tree also grows in a range of soils from sandy to clayey and does best in zones 2-7.

River Birch Tree, Betula nigra

The river birch, Betula nigra, commonly known as a water birch, or black birch, is one of my favorite trees. It is a gorgeous birch with so much personality and interest year-round.

Unlike other birch trees, the river birch is the only birch tree found in the southern United States. The black birch is known for its gorgeous white-gray to brown-black, reddish peeling bark. 

The river birch is a fast-growing tree that spans a range of the eastern United States to the south to Florida and west over to Oklahoma and Texas. It is commonly found growing on the edges of rivers, hence its name. Ideally, the river birch would prefer wet, acidic soil, but it is also fairly drought tolerant.

They are known to grow anywhere between 30-60 feet tall and 20-50 feet wide, so even in a small space, they will still take a while to reach their mature height. 

This birch tree will add so much character to your yard and offer you year-round interest. It is not only gorgeous in the summertime, but it is also almost more gorgeous in winter and spring, without foliage, when the bark is showcased!

Red Maple Tree, Acer rubrum

A Red Maple Tree in Fall Colors in Backbone State Park in Iowa

The red maple Acer rubrum has a variety of names. It is also known as scarlet maple, Carolina red maple, and water maple. The red maple is commonly found throughout eastern North America and other cold climates found in Canada.

Although the red maple can reach a height of 60-90 feet, they have a lifespan of more than 150 years and don’t reach maturity for 70-80 years. So even if you have a small yard, you don’t have to worry about it reaching that height in 10 or even 20 years. 

The red maple is a shade-tolerant species with an extensive climatic tolerance, as well as a variety of soil conditions. It grows well on wet, swamp-like soils, as well as dry, mountainous soils. This species is not only found as north as Nova Scotia but also as far south as Florida. 

Sargent Cherry Tree, Prunus sargentii

pink blossoms of Sargent's cherry

The sargent cherry, Prunus sargentii, is a deciduous tree native to Russia to Japan, and Korea. This cherry tree has incredible, light pink flowers that grow in clusters in spring, in April.

This tree is wonderful for small shady yards due to its smaller size. It grows between 20-30 feet tall and wide. This tree is beautiful year-round, offering beautiful flowers in the spring, dark purple and green foliage in summer, bronze leaves in the fall, and fascinating bark throughout winter. 

These gorgeous trees grow well in zones 4-7, especially in acidic and well-draining soil. They are low maintenance and drought tolerant.

Hakuro Nishiki Tree, Salix integra (Dappled Willow)

Beautiful Hakuro Nishiki willow with pink flowers in garden

The Hakuro nishiki, Salix integra, is a beautiful, fast-growing willow bush and tree. This dappled willow is gorgeous throughout all seasons, with beautiful variegated leaves. 

It ranges from a lovely shade of pink, green, and white, with its color-changing throughout the year. When spring hits, leaves begin to turn a pink color, green in summer, and a white-cream color in the winter.

Depending on which zone you are in, the entire bark of the plant turns a fiery red. This generally occurs in areas that have warmer winters. The stems of new growth turn the beautiful red regardless of what climate you are in.

The Hakuro nishiki grows rapidly, anywhere from 15-20 feet tall and wide. It can grow in full sun to part shade and tolerates acidic, poor, and wet soils. It is also extremely cold tolerant.

If you’re interested, here’s a link to purchase a Hakuro nishiki for your yard.

That’s A Wrap!

That’s all we have on the fastest-growing shade trees for small spaces. In general, there are tons of species of trees that may or may not work for your yard, but these are just a few recommendations to turn your small space into a backyard oasis.

To recap, here are the 12 fast-growing shade trees for small spaces:

  • Japanese maple
  • Crape myrtle
  • Saucer magnolia
  • Sweetbay magnolia
  • Flowering dogwood
  • American redbud
  • Emerald green arborvitae
  • Paper birch
  • River birch
  • Red maple
  • Sargent cherry
  • Hakuro Nishiki

There you have it; these are just some of the fast-growing shade tree species that you can plant in your yard.

Whether it be an evergreen or a deciduous tree, whatever you choose, you can keep this list handy when you go to your local garden store.

References:

Hepting, George H. 1971. Diseases of forest and shade trees of the United States. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook 386. Washington, DC. 658 p.

Hutnick, Russell J., and Harry W. Yawney. 1961. Silvical characteristics of red maple (Acer rubrum). USDA Forest Service, Station Paper 142. Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Upper Darby, PA. 18 p.

Walters, Russell S, and Harry W Yawney. “Acer Rubrum L. Red Maple.” USDA Forest Service.

Wilson, Brayton F. 1966. Development of the shoot system of Acer rubrum L. Harvard Forest Paper 14. Harvard University, Petersham, MA. 21 p.

Growing trees (especially maple trees) can be a difficult task, especially since many of them can encounter problems with things such as nutrients. As nutrient problems arise, you can often begin to see your tree slow down or grow weaker. With this arises the question, “What fertilizer is best for my maple tree?” 

The best fertilizers for maple trees contain nitrogen. Nitrogen is one of the essential nutrients for growing and sustaining maples, so high nitrogen fertilizers are critical for fast and healthy growth. In truth, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are ideal for a maple tree fertilizer.

Read on to learn more about what classifies maple trees, how they grow, and how their growth relates to their fertilizer needs!

What Is A Maple Tree? How To Identify

In order to identify and understand what your tree wants, it is first important to be able to recognize that your tree is maple in the first place (or to recognize what specific type of maple it is.) 

Red yellow and green colorfull leaves.

In general, most common maples have large, palmate leaves that have 3-5 lobes and fairly prominent serrations. When flowering, maples usually produce small red flowers that form clusters.

Their fruits are yellow/reddish and form into little winged shapes, forming what people commonly call ‘helicopters.’ In addition to this, maple leaves are deciduous, meaning in the fall/winter, their leaves begin to turn red/orange/yellow and begin to fall off.

What Should Be In Maple Tree Fertilizers?

Aside from specialty fertilizers that are formulated for specific plants/trees, most fertilizers have very similar (or in some cases the same) compounds. 

To generalize, except for special additives in fertilizers, most quality maple tree fertilizers should contain mostly large portions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are all crucial to helping and maintaining a plant’s healthy and fast growth. 

What Do Maple Trees Use Fertilizers For?

When people talk about fertilizing and helping plants, they often simply say that it will just help the plant grow.

However, this often leaves questions surrounding how plants and maple trees actually use these compounds and how to tailor the compounds to promote growth.

Nitrogen For Maple Trees

Nitrogen is one of the most vital compounds that all plants need. In fact, some plants even have evolved with bacteria to be able to take nitrogen for themselves from the air (often called nitrogen fixers). 

In plants and maple trees, nitrogen is one of the main components of chlorophyll, which is the pigment associated with the capture of light energy and the creation of chemical energy. In addition, nitrogen is associated with the building of new, healthy, dark green leaves. 

This means that if your maple tree is showing yellowing leaves, it could have a nitrogen deficiency.

Phosphorus For Maple Trees

Phosphorus is another very common and important molecule that is found in almost every plant cell. It is involved with the main maple tree functions such as energy creation/transfer and photosynthesis.

In addition, due to the nature of phosphorus in biology, phosphorus is also used to make things like special sugars, energy components, and genetic material used to make new cells and reproductive aspects (such as seeds and fruits). 

Potassium For Maple Trees

Potassium (also known as “K” on common fertilizers) may seem like an odd addition to fertilizers; however, it is very vital to the maintenance and growth of healthy plants. 

In maple trees, potassium has many uses. To start, potassium is connected to the movement of water, solutes, and nutrients in plant tissue, meaning it is vital for proper functioning and survival. In addition, scientists are currently making connections to potassium and the activation of things like enzymes. 

To apply the idea of potassium fertilizers to plants, potassium will cause your plant to have better drought resistance and faster root growth! 

Identifying Maple Tree Nutrient Deficiencies

red maple acer (Acer Rubrum) aka swamp maple, water maple or soft maple tree

Now that we know what maple trees are, what common fertilizers are (and how they work), we can discuss the specifics of maple trees, what they need, and what they thrive on with fertilizers. 

To begin, it is important to assess if your tree even needs fertilizer. As home gardeners, we can often misdiagnose our trees/plants, which can lead to other unforeseen consequences.

For example, if your tree is perfectly healthy nutrient-wise and you decide to heavily fertilize it in the name of ‘saving it,’ this can do many things such as burn the roots, cause tree damage, or even slow growth for a large period of time. 

Identifying Maple Tree Phosphorus Deficiency

Going along with this, most deficiencies are easy to see in the leaves of trees and plants (especially broadleaf trees such as maples.)

To start, if your maple tree has a phosphorus deficiency, it can cause extremely slow growth and the darkening (in a green/purple color) of the leaves and stems. 

Identifying Maple Tree Nitrogen Deficiency

For a nitrogen deficiency, it’s easy to get this confused with leaves yellowing due to the Fall season.

If your maple tree has a nitrogen deficiency, this can cause the leaves to start yellowing. Nitrogen is known as a “mobile nutrient” because it can be shuttled from cell to cell. This means that leaving yellowing leaves on could be beneficial, as it allows all of the nitrogen to e moved elsewhere in the plant.

So, if you see leaves yellowing during the warmer parts of the year, you may need fertilizer.

Identifying Maple Tree Potassium Deficiency 

Potassium deficiencies in maple trees can often be indicators of other problems, as well.

In total, potassium deficiencies will cause maple leaves to scorch/burn at the ends and possibly cause the leaves to yellow on and in between the veins. Especially during warmer months, look out for sudden changes in leaf color and a brown, potentially spotted mark around the edge of leaves.

In general, maple trees can be pretty hardy with what they want and what they need. The most common deficiency/need of maples is nitrogen. This means that finding a fertilizer that is relatively high in nitrogen with the supporting nutrients of phosphorus and potassium is key to healthy and fast growth. 

5 Best Types Of Maple Tree Fertilizers

Now that we have discussed what is in fertilizers and what maple trees need specific, now we can get to what specific fertilizers are best for maple trees (keeping in mind that nitrogen-heavy is their preference.)

Another good thing to mention is slow-release and fast-release fertilizers. Most people opt for slow-release, as it gives a more natural, longer-lasting effect on your trees. 

Maple Tree Fertilizer Spikes

The first form of fertilizer that many people use for their maple trees is spikes.

Maple tree fertilizer spikes work to slowly release nutrients into the soil over time. To do so, you have to pin them into the ground near your tree. In addition, most people also cite that for spikes to work, you have to have semi-consistent rain.

Spikes can be fairly useful and are commonly bought and used due to their ease of function. In fact, to use them, you normally just have to put them in the ground, and you are good. 

Some downsides to spikes are that they usually aren’t organic (or in worse cases, they can be toxic to other life forms), they can be tampered with by pets, and some people claim that they only affect a small area of the root system, especially when compared to other forms of fertilizer. 

A quality fertilizer spike, Jobe’s Tree Fertilizer Spikes 16-4-4 contain 16% nitrogen, 4% phosphorus, and 4% potash, which is a blend of potassium carbonate and potassium salt.

As is important with any fertilizer, DON’T overuse it, or else you could risk damaging the tree. Make sure to follow all proper product instructions and start with fewer spikes if needed, assess the tree health after a few weeks, and apply more if needed.

Maple Tree Liquid Fertilizer

Liquid fertilizer is another common form of fertilizer used. It is either sold in full liquid form or in special crystals that you can dissolve in water. 

In the event that your fertilizer is already in full liquid form, you should follow the instructions on the bottle (which usually recommend heavily diluting with water.) On the other hand, if yours are dissolvable crystals, it is always important to fully dissolve them in lots of water before use. 

Liquid fertilizers are often used nowadays for their fairly easy function (and for the fact that they often feel more effective when compared to other fertilizers). 

Liquid fertilizers have many benefits, such as an increased amount of control. For instance, you can choose to only water one side of a large tree, or you can water an entire field if your tree is large and requires nutrients. This ease of use and control can often allow you to monitor the number of nutrients that your plants get. 

As for negatives, liquid fertilizer is normally non-organic, which is a turn-off for most home growers. In addition, if you don’t read the label or mess up measuring, it can be fairly easy to under-fertilize or even burn the roots of your prized plants.

Great tree fertilizer is BioAdvanced 701810A Systemic Plant Fertilizer and Insecticide. It protects against several kinds of tree-harming insects, along with being a slow-release fertilizer. It contains a mix of 2% nitrogen, 1% phosphorus, and 1% soluble potash, along with two active insect repelling ingredients.

Granular Fertilizer For Maple Trees

Granular fertilizer is characterized by being in the form of small pellets/grains that you can spread. This fertilizer is usually a more natural brown/black/grey color; however, in non-organic brands, it may be colored. 

Granular fertilizer works by spreading over an area and slowly releasing over time (usually as it interacts with water from rain or sprinklers.)

Thus, your maple tree will get a nice release of nutrients whenever it’s properly watered.

To use granular fertilizer, you should use gloves. Go over to the area you want to fertilize and spread the grains around the root zones of the plants. In the case of maple trees, most people recommend fertilizing 1 ft of radius around the tree for every 5ft the tree is in height.

This is because as trees grow above the ground, they also need to grow below the ground, requiring more of their roots to absorb water and nutrients. 

In some cases, depending on manufacturer instructions, you may actually place the granules in the ground near the tree roots.

Granular fertilizer has many benefits, the first of which is ease of use and cleanliness. When compared to liquid fertilizers, granular fertilizers are nice because you can store them in their bag when not in use and simply open and use them when needed, whereas liquid fertilizers require large jugs or water mixing jugs. 

Another pro of granular fertilizers is that they can be slower acting than liquid fertilizers, which is more beneficial to plants and the environment. In addition, you can normally get more control with granules, spreading them over specific areas as compared to liquid fertilizers. 

With this, granular fertilizer has some cons; first of all, it is that common brands are usually non-organic. In addition to this, you most definitely need gloves to use them and follow all product instructions and warnings fully.

If you’re looking for a quality maple tree fertilizer, take a look at TreeHelp Premium Fertilizer for Maple, which contains 8% nitrogen and is designed to be slow-released for maple trees.

All-Natural Maple Tree Fertilizer

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) in Autumn Colours

All-natural fertilizer is another common thing to use. It usually comes in any of the previously mentioned forms. However, it is organic and natural in nature. This means that instead of using artificial and inorganic compounds, it uses natural ingredients like compost or bone meal. 

As natural fertilizer comes in many forms, it is hard to say the specific way to apply it, so it’s recommended to simply read the specific label thoroughly and follow the instructions closely. 

All-natural fertilizer has many pros, especially to the common gardener. The most apparent pro is that it is, of course, all-natural and organic; this means that you generally don’t have to worry about ruining the environment or introducing toxins to your area.

Another benefit is that most natural fertilizers as also slow acting. This is normally due to the natural compounds that require more time to be broken down and used. This is beneficial to all of your plants (not just maple trees) and can increase the overall health of your garden with time. 

One main con with all-natural fertilizer is that it can be much more expensive than conventional fertilizers. This, however, shouldn’t be a turn-off, as most people agree that the benefits far outweigh the cost.

If you’re looking for an organic maple tree fertilizer, check out Happy Frog Japanese Maple Organic Plant Fertilizer, which contains both phosphorus and potassium, specifically to promote Japanese maple growth.

Home Additives/Compost For Maple Trees

Home additives and compost are great options for people working on a budget.

Compost is simply the broken down bits of food that turn into the rich new substrate. Home additives refer to a large swath of things like coffee grounds or Epsom salt that are natural and contain compounds that trees love. 

While you can find things like Epsom salt and coffee grounds in your home, you will have to make or find compost if you want to use it.

To make compost, you have to create a “compost pile” that consists of lots of food/organic waste mixed with “carbon” waste such as paper, hair trimmings, leaves, etc. This needs to wait for a few months (with you turning it every few days), after which you will have rich and beneficial compost. 

In addition to creating compost, you can also source it. Many outdoor stores sell compost; however, this can be expensive (yet still effective). You can also try looking online or at local forums to see if anyone is selling or giving away homemade budget compost. 

The main benefits to these options are cost and environmental impact. To start, they are normally very cheap or free, with you often being able to find or make them in your house/backyard. In addition, these options are also natural (similar to natural fertilizers) and are slow-acting in nature, meaning you don’t have to worry about hurting your local wildlife. 

One main con is time. Especially with compost, creating it yourself can take time, and compost/additives actually having an effect actually takes time. This also shouldn’t be a turn-off, as using these options can natural/cheaply increase the growth of your maple tree while also possibly benefiting the environment over time! 

That’s A Wrap!

In the end, maple trees have lots of requirements that they need for proper and healthy growth.

Some of these main requirements include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc. These can often be found in many fertilizers such as spikes, granular fertilizers, or even home additives such as compost or Epsom salt. 

Each of these aspects has different functions and effects that you should take into account with your specific tree. Either way, though, it is hard to over fertilizer strong and healthy trees, so go outside and have fun connecting with your tree! 

References

Jean-DavidMooreJ.-D. Moore and RockOuimetR. Ouimet. Effects of two Ca fertilizer types on sugar maple vitality. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 40(10): 1985-1992.

Moore, J. D., & Ouimet, R. (2014). Effects of two types of Ca fertilizer on sugar maple nutrition, vigor and growth after 7 years. Forest Ecology and Management320, 1-5.

As you’ve probably seen at some point in your life, trees do not disappear in the same way that flowers or flora might in the winter. They may lose their leaves, but there is a chance that does not even happen if the tree is an evergreen. So, how do deciduous trees survive the winter?

Trees can generally survive temperatures as low as 30°f – 40°f during the winter. Tree’s shed their leaves in the Fall to reduce winter water loss while excess snow is available. Trees also slowly dehydrate themselves in the summer to expunge excess water, which would cause the tree to burst.

Before we go deeper into the methods that trees may utilize, we should take some time to first discuss the question in a general sense: how is it that trees can avoid freezing? Follow along, and we’ll get straight to the good part!

How Do Trees Not Freeze?

Trees are some of the most prevalent, sturdy plants that span the planet. So how is it that they can manage to not only survive the winter months in places with temperatures dropping well below freezing but thrive in those environments?

Trees are adaptable but will only grow to maturity in places that can sustain their species.

Here is a most-asked question about trees and their ability to survive the winter:

What Do Trees Need To Get Ready For Winter?

Whether adjusting cold tolerance on a cellular level, dropping leaves, or keeping needles, and allowing the bark to become the protector it was meant to be; trees go through many processes to prepare for the winter.

All trees are different, but the basic biology that drives them is what allows them to be both resilient and flexible organisms, especially during extremely cold temperatures. 

4 Ways That Trees Can Survive In The Cold

OK – now we are really getting into the good part here!

Here are a few ways that trees are able to survive in the cold and winter. Of course, these methods may not be the exact practices that every single tree uses, nor do they ensure 100% that a tree will survive. However, when it comes to resilience, these are huge players.

big old linden tree in winter with snow

Mulch Protects Tree Roots in The Winter

Topping our list is the least natural of methods because it is one that involves human assistance. That’s right; you can play a pretty sizeable role in protecting your plants during those cold winter months!

Root injury is one of the winter effects that begin at the base of a tree and work their way through the body of the entire individual, leading to severe damage or even the death of the tree. 

You can help your tree to avoid root injury by using a few methods to cover the roots.

For instance, winter mulch can help to reduce winter tree root injury. You’ll want to start by covering the roots of your not-quite-mature tree, especially any newly planted trees or shrubs, with a few inches of shredded mulch. About the width of your hand should do the trick.

You’ll then want to place the mulch in a circular pattern around the tree and then pull the mulch about 1/2ft away from the base of the tree. This will ensure that any stray roots will not be subject to freezing temperatures.

If there are any cracks in the soil around your tree as you are completing this first step, you’ll want to make sure that they are filled in with new soil before you move on.

Next, you will want to consider what the fall weather has been like in your area.

Has it been dry? Make sure to water the soil (and mulch) around your tree before the first frost, so there is not any possibility of frost that would result from dry soil soaking up moisture that hardens into an icy layer once underground.

If the Fall had a decent level of rainfall, that last step is NOT something you will have to take into consideration. 

Tree Bark Insulates The Inside of The Tree

Tree bark does more than just indicate what type of a tree you may be looking at or dealing with; its benefits go far beyond the qualitative, descriptive uses that it can serve.

The bark of a tree is a great insulator and acts as more than just an outer layer. The bark of a tree is essentially like a jacket, a natural fence to deter animals from getting too close to the trunk itself, and helps the tree to regulate its internal temperature.

In the hot months of summer, the insulation works well to reflect light and disperse heat in a way that acts to cool the majority of the tree down. From roots to limbs, and the entire truck in between, the temperature of the tree is able to be well-regulated.

This effect is reversed in the cold winter months, and the tree is able to regulate itself in a new way. Instead of cooling down, the insulating properties of the bark help the tree to warm itself up.

The ‘body heat,’ so to speak, remains trapped below the bark, and the tree is protected against cracking and freezing that would otherwise be caused by the cold.

Different species of trees will have different types of bark. For example, a tree that typically thrives in a more temperate environment might have bark that is thinner or less ridged because it needs fewer barriers of protection against the elements. Even something as seemingly simple as the color might be changed in the shade, depending on how much light a tree needs to be reflecting based on its specific environment.

The thicker, darker, and more ridged the bark, the better its host tree will be at heating quickly in the dead of winter. Because darker colors absorb the heat from sunlight, dark bark is often an indicator that a tree will do particularly well in snowy, windy, or just plain frigid weather.

Reversely, white bark is an adaptation of a tree that helps protect individuals against sun damage. So, during the darker, the more adaptable to frosty temperatures, the lighter, the better in warm, open, sunny spaces.

Bark plays so many complex roles in the ability of a tree to not only survive but thrive. Is it truly the first and main line of defense against the elements no matter what type of environment a tree is located in.

Losing Leaves Reduces Tree Water Loss During Winter

The next natural factor in a tree’s ability to do well in frigid temperatures focuses on a different section of the organism altogether. We move up beyond the roots, past the trunk, and up to the canopy itself.

Early morning in forest glade with traces of skis. Red deer antlered went for walk. Christmas forest in the snow

Whether a tree has leaves that fall off to prepare for the cold, a deciduous tree, or it has needles that brave the winter, an evergreen, depends on the species itself. Not only that, but it also has to do with many external factors that species have had to adapt to overtime.

Have you ever wondered why deciduous trees lose their leaves in preparation for winter? This is an annual process that most are likely familiar with, regardless of region, if you live somewhere in North America. However, the reasoning behind this process is less commonly known.

Deciduous trees lose their leaves during the autumn season in order to reduce water loss. In the same way that animals store up extra fat to prepare for the cold of winter and reduction of food sources, trees prepare to retain water while there is an increase in snow and ice but a lack of the rainwater that trees absorb best.

Evergreen trees, however, are a different story. Most conifers, which are the evergreen trees with needles and the kind of evergreen tree that would exist in a place that faces freezing temperatures, retain their needles throughout the entire year.

Moody winter landscape with tall spruce forest cowered with white snow in frozen mountains.

Conifers overall are vastly stronger than hardwoods, which helps them to survive the winter. According to Michigan State Extension, conifers can withstand up to 900 psi, which allows them to absorb ice expansion. This is more than the psi than what gets released from a CO2 tank.

While there are some exceptions, conifers don’t lose their needles because they are better equipped to retain water. Thanks to their smaller surface than broad leaves and the waxy coating that protects each needle, water loss due to transpiration and evaporation is able to be extremely limited.

Even the exceptions to this rule of not losing needles only extend to trees that will shed some old or damaged needles. Overall, conifers keep their needles all year round.

In the same way that bark is a protector of the main body of a tree, leaves have a lot to do with water retention and protecting the life force of the tree.

If you’re interested in learning more about conifers (an evergreen tree), take a look at our piece on the trees that keep their leaves all year.

Trees Dehydrate Themselves To Avoid Water Freezing During Winter

For a tree, the process of adjusting for cold tolerance takes place at the cellular level. This ultimately means that trees actually start preparing in the late summer period in order to be fully ready by the time winter hits. As daylight dwindles and resources begin to lessen, a tree will enter a dormant state.

In the same way that it works for many animals that hibernate, the dormant state really just allows a tree to reach a higher level of adaptability and tolerance for weather and other environmental factors that are not exactly begetting of natural flourishing.

Essentially, the tree will begin to slowly dehydrate itself to avoid having too much water inside when the temperature drops. The same theory here applies to when you are winterizing a boat. If the lines aren’t being used and water is in them, the pipes (cells of the tree) will freeze and crack.

Freezing of cells ultimately results in damage to living cells, so it is a huge priority for trees to avoid this sort of detrimental winter outcome. In the winter, these cells become extremely brittle, as the tree has far less water in it than at peak form during the summer.

Remember, the tree is in a survival hibernation state and not undergoing maximum photosynthesis.

What Happens When It Is Just Too Cold For A Tree?

All plants have limitations, and defoliation or the loss of leaves due to either chemicals or natural causes is one factor that limits the overall growth of a tree from that point forward.

This chain reaction goes to show that trees are complex organisms that work in a harmonious system which, when disturbed, can have disastrous consequences. A weak tree is less able to protect itself by fighting disease, braving a cold winter, or adapting to other unforeseen circumstances that may challenge its vitality.

What exactly happens in these sorts of situations when it is just too cold for a tree to thrive?

Well, all species on earth, including trees and other plant life, have a minimum temperature at which they can thrive. Once this range of low temperatures is met, when the limit itself is passed, the thermal requirements of the organism are no longer being met, and it is not able to survive any longer, much less thrive.

How does this manifest, though? What are the results of a tree that cannot survive the winter, and how do they indicate that this may be the end of its lifespan?

A quick note, if you’re interested in the lifespan of trees, you can check out our piece on the lifespan of common oak trees here.

single tree in winter

Tree Limbs May Bend Or Break in Winter

The results don’t always necessarily have to be detrimental; sometimes, the impact of a winter that is too cold for a tree to handle can have a relatively benign outcome.

Limbs may bend as a result of a combination of wind, sub-zero temperatures, and subsequent re-thawing. Often, bending of limbs doesn’t cause too great an impairment, but in cases where limbs thaw too quickly, or the wind does not let up, they may break off entirely.

It is much more likely and common for a branch or two to bend or snap than it is for a tree to bend at the base. However, it depends on the maturity of the tree- how thick the trunk really is, how stable of a root system it has, and other combinations of factors both internally and externally.

Tree Sap Can Cause a Tree to Explode in Winter

Tree sap is the ultimate life force of a tree, more so than the water or the nutrients that sustain this internal liquid gold.

So, when a tree does not have enough time to acclimate or some of these other defenses against the elements fail, it’s the sap that is at risk and can cause quite the commotion as it is impacted.

If the sap begins to freeze, the water in it begins to expand and, when this occurs in a large enough scale of a situation, it could quite literally cause the tree itself to break apart and explode.

Remember the scenario we talked about where trees expunge water and dehydrate themselves in preparation for the winter? Well, this is a similar phenomenon.

Essentially, like pipes bursting, if the sap of the tree freezes and expands, and will cause the tree to quite literally explode and shred the overhydrated portion of the tree. Most commonly, this happens on a large branch or limb.

While partial freezing of a tree is not all that uncommon, it can happen.

That’s All For Now!

Well, that’s pretty much all for now.

Remember these four ways that trees can survive the winter, along with some outcomes to expect in less-forgiving climates and scenarios.

It might be confusing to know that some plants cannot survive the cold, while others brave it like champs, but trees are strong steady, resilient organisms. If all else fails, keep in mind these four ways that trees can survive the winter months:

  • Mulch and Soil Protect Tree Roots in The Winter
  • Tree Bark Insulates The Inside of The Tree
  • Losing Leaves Reduces Tree Water Loss During Winter
  • Trees Dehydrate Themselves To Avoid Water Freezing During Winter

But again, there are always outliers. Sometimes the cold is just too cold, or the wind gets too strong, or any other combination of elements ends in a premature ending of a tree’s life.

Nature follows rules, but it also likes to break those rules. So, we learn what we can and help when needed, but ultimately it is up to Mother Nature herself to determine when a tree can survive a winter and when it just isn’t quite up to the challenge. 

Thank you for reading!

I hope this article helps you understand the way that trees work and brings you just a piece of awe for these incredible plants as you continue along your tree journey!

References

Essiamah, S., & Eschrich, W. (1985). Changes of starch content in the storage tissues of deciduous trees during winter and spring. IAWA Journal6(2), 97-106.

Körner, C., Basler, D., Hoch, G., Kollas, C., Lenz, A., Randin, C. F., … & Zimmermann, N. E. (2016). Where, why and how? Explaining the low‐temperature range limits of temperate tree species. Journal of Ecology104(4), 1076-1088.

Piper, F. I., Gundale, M. J., & Fajardo, A. (2015). Extreme defoliation reduces tree growth but not C and N storage in a winter-deciduous species. Annals of botany115(7), 1093-1103.

Acorns are one of the most iconic nuts produced by a tree. They can be found almost anywhere in North America. If you’ve found an acorn, or maybe a whole bunch of them, you may be wondering which tree it came from and what you can do with it?

Acorns are only produced by oak trees. Each acorn contains one seed that may or may not grow into its own oak tree. There are several things you can do with acorns. You can leave them out for wildlife, plant them, make them into flour, or use them in recipes and crafts.

Read on to find out where acorns come from and all the different things you can do with them! We’ll talk about other trees and what they produce as well so you can be sure you’re dealing with an acorn and not something else.

Where Do Acorns Come From?

So, where exactly do acorns come from?

Acorns only grow on mature oak trees, some of which may have to be twenty or more years old before producing their first batch of acorns! 

Oaks are the only trees with acorns, but there are plenty of other trees out there that produce similar nut-like fruits. So if you’ve ever confused acorns with other tree nuts, you’re not alone.

Are All Acorns The Same?

When you hear the word ‘acorn,’ you probably have a pretty vivid picture in your mind of what it looks like. A small, round nut with a distinctive cap on top. While this is what a lot of acorns look like, not all of them are exactly the same.

Some, like the Valley Oak and Coast Live Oak, have oblong shapes. Others have varying colors. The Blackjack Oak and Pin Oak have lighter-colored acorns than, say, a Chestnut Oak or Bur Oak.

You get the point. Each tree has its own unique acorn shape and color.

There are about 90 types of oak trees in North America, but they are broadly categorized into two different groups: red oaks and white oaks.

The main difference between these two groups is when the acorns germinate. White oaks can typically sprout up in the same season the acorns fell, whereas red oak acorns will only sprout the following spring due to their need for a dormancy period that happens in the wintertime.

In addition to these differences, certain acorns are better for certain purposes. For example, white oak acorns are best for eating because they have the least concentration of tannin, a compound that makes the acorn taste bitter.

What To Do With Oak Acorns

Acorns are a surprisingly versatile nut. Unlike foraging for mushrooms, acorns are pretty easy to distinguish from other fallen tree nuts that may be dangerous or inedible.

Oak tree acorn on wooded background.
Oak tree acorn on wooded background.

Back in the day, acorns were a staple food for Native Americans and early settlers. Its dense and highly nutritious properties made it an excellent meal or pasted to have with bread or meat.

Without further delay, let’s take a look at all the things you can do with your neighborhood acorns!

If you’re interested, you can learn how to plant acorns or use a sapling to grow an oak tree here!

Eat Them

Acorns are surprisingly nutritious. According to the University of Utah, they contain proteincarbs, and the good type of fat that’s commonly associated with other nuts. They also contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

Foragers refer to acorns as wild starch. One of the reasons they were so important to early settlers and Native Americans is because they contain a decent amount of carbs. Before farming, starches were hard to come by in the wild!

With all of that in mind, it’s important to note that acorns should not be eaten raw. Acorns contain a compound called tannin that is toxic to humans, dogs, and a few other critters like horses and cattle.

Acorns are not the only tree nut that is toxic before being processed and sold for human consumption. Cashews have similar issues. The nut itself is not toxic, but the shell that encases the cashews are.

But, don’t be alarmed by the revelation that acorns cannot be eaten raw. To make them edible is a simple process of boiling them for at least five minutes or soaking them in cool water. This leaches out the tannins, making the acorn perfectly edible.

How Exactly Do You Eat acorns?

There are TONS of recipes out there that use acorns as an ingredient. But if you’re looking to just dip your toes into the wild starch world, there are two simple recipes you can try: candied acorns and caramelized acorns.

White Oak acorns are considered the best type to eat because they contain the least amount of tannins and therefore have a less bitter taste.

Candied acorns use three simple ingredients: acorns, butter, and brown sugar. Simply quarter your acorn meat, boil them for at least five minutes, and then saute the pieces in butter. Add enough brown sugar to coat the acorns. Once the sugar and butter thicken, they’re done!

Carmelized acorns use the same technique, but you’ll be adding cinnamon and a splash of water to the saute mixture. These will take a little longer to cook, around twenty minutes, before the mixture thickens up around the acorns.

Use Acorns For Baking

In the same vein as consuming acorns, you can also use them for baking! 

You can make and use acorn flour in place of regular flour at a 1:1 ratio. Easy enough, right? Acorn flour has a nutty and sweet flavor and contains a little more nutrition than typical all-purpose flour.

The only problem with making acorn flour is that it takes quite a bit of time—days, in fact. The reason is that you must cold-leach the tannins out of your acorns as opposed to our boiling technique mentioned above.

Cold-leaching has some important benefits when it comes to flour. It leaves important starches in the acorn meat that will help the flour stick to itself. If you boil the acorns, it will still work, but the flour will not be as consistent a texture as you would have with all-purpose flour.

So, if you’ve collected your acorns and you have some time (and patience. And more time), you can make your own acorn flour!

So, we can eat acorns, and we can bake with them. What else can you do with acorns?

Leave Acorns Alone

If you’re a fan of having wildlife around, such as deer, squirrels, and chipmunks, you can simply let your acorns be. 

Oak trees, in general, provide squirrels and other climbing critters with shelter and homes. If you leave the acorns on the trees or do not disturb them when they drop, it’s likely to attract some wildlife. 

According to the University of Florida, acorns provide over 100 different species of animals with food. Foxes, opossums, turkey, wild hogs, and quail, just to name a few.

Acorns are such an impactful food item that wildlife will often shift their home ranges when acorns are abundant. Home ranges become smaller, and less nuisance activity is reported during abundant acorn years.

So, if you’re not into baking and not interested in trying to cook acorns, consider leaving them on the trees and on the ground so the wildlife around you can enjoy them.

Plant Acorns

Our next suggestion is to plant the acorns you find. This is something that can be fun for the whole family. If successful, the oak tree can live for decades, if not centuries.

If you’re curious, you can check out the full details on how long it takes to grow an oak tree here.

All in all, planting oak trees from acorns isn’t too hard of a process. It can take as little as a few weeks to see sprouts popping out of the ground from your acorns, but it can take up to 30 years for an oak tree to mature and start producing its own acorns.

If you decide to plant the acorns you find, you’ll be doing nature a favor. Oak trees provide plenty of shade and shelter to all the little critters around. Acorns from local oak trees are also more likely to thrive in that area because they are already used to the soil and weather conditions.

You can also check out the best time to plant an oak tree to make sure you’re planting your acorns and transplanting your saplings at the right time!

Use Acorns for Arts and Crafts

Acorns, along with pumpkins, yellow leaves, and scarecrows, are some of the quintessential things associated with fall. When you start seeing acorns on the ground, you know fall is coming!

For this reason, you can use acorns for a variety of crafts and decorations. Acorns are easy to handle because of their size, and you can use both the nut part and the cap part as decorations.

You can make wreaths, photo frames, place them in mason jars, and even make candles out of them! There are plenty of ideas circulating around the internet that can make your home nice and cozy as the colder months come through.

What Fruits and Nuts Do Trees Produce?

We now know that oak trees produce acorns, but what about the other nuts and seeds we see littering the ground? Where do they come from?

The table below lists some of the common trees and the fruits or nuts they produce.

TREEFRUIT/NUTDESCRIPTIONEDIBLE?
MapleSamaras also known as “helicopters” or “whirligigs”Seeds in the center with two distinct wings on each side - typically red or brown in colorYes: seed pods are edible
PinePine NutsSeeds are encased in the pine coneYes: but can be bothersome to get at and are typically very small
WalnutWalnut FruitRound green casing around light brown stone fruitYes: can be eaten raw but often taste better toasted
BirchSamarasElongated drooping flowers hold seeds that have small wingsNot reccomended
BeechBeechnuts also known as “mast”Nuts are contained in a brown spiky case similar to chestnutYes: Must be cooked and processed due to saponin glycoside toxin
ElmSamarasSmall, flat green disksNot reccomended
ChestnutChestnutSpikey green-brown bur contains shiny brown nutsYes: Must be cooked to remove tannins
White OakAcornCone shaped nut with a tough, hard topYes: Must be cooked or processed

Let’s take a closer look at the fruits and nuts these trees produce and what you can do with them.

Maple Tree Fruits

Maple samara fruit on tree.
Maple samara fruit on tree.

Thirteen types of maple trees are native to North America. These thirteen varieties span the entire United States, from coastal plains up to the rocky mountains. Maples are best known for their sap production.

According to the Ohio State University, sugar, black, and red maple provide almost all of the commercial syrup we love to use on our pancakes and waffles. While maple trees are mostly known for their syrup production, their seeds, also called samaras, are also well known.

You may call them helicopters or maybe whirligigs. Either way, they’re fun to watch fall from the trees in the springtime. They’re also edible and can be eaten right from the tree!

If you’re interested, you can read more about the differences between oak and maple trees here!

Pine Tree Fruits

Pine cone with pine nuts white background.
Pine cone with pine nuts.

Fruits are mainly meant to protect the seed of the tree so that it can find its way to the ground and eventually sprout into a tree itself. But some trees just don’t have fruits.

Pine tree seeds are encased in the well-known pine cone. This cone is not considered a fruit but protects the seed all the same. The seed is known as a pine nut and can be very tasty. 

However, most varieties have seeds that are so small they are not worth the bother of digging through the pine cone. If you’re looking for the best pine nuts in North America, look for the Pinyon Pine. It only grows between 6- and 9-thousand foot elevations.

Walnut Tree Fruit

Fruit of a black walnut tree. Green walnut on deck.
Fruit of a black walnut tree.

Like pine nuts and acorns, walnuts seem to be a wintery nut. Our parents and grandparents set them out in bowls alongside a nutcracker at holiday gatherings. 

Walnuts are best picked in late summer and fall when the meat of the nut is mature. Walnut trees that are at least twenty years old will produce the best walnuts, which can be eaten raw. However, toasted walnuts will taste the best.

Like acorns, walnuts may come in waves of high production and low production. One year you might see tons, while the next year may yield very little.

Birch Tree Fruits

The birch tree is a forager’s best friend. It’s one of the most edible trees out there. According to Washington College of Maryland, you can eat the bark, twigs, buds, and even the leaves, which have a minty flavor.

The seeds of the birch tree are samaras, meaning they are winged. They do not look like the well-known helicopters of the maple tree; instead, they look like very small clusters drooping at the end of branches.

Although most of the rest of the birch tree is edible, it’s not suggested to eat the seeds due to the bitter flavor.

Beech Tree Fruits

Beech seeds on the branch.
Beech seeds on the branch.

Like most of the trees on our list, beech trees produce edible fruits.

Beechnuts are the fruit of beech trees and are encased in spiny brown fruit. You can eat a few beechnuts raw with little repercussions, but they should really be soaked before eating to leech out a toxin called saponin glycoside. 

Similar to acorns, beech tree fruits may have toxins but can be easily leached out by soaking or boiling them. Afterward, they are quite tasty! According to North Carolina University, they ripen in the fall.

Elm Fruits

Leaves and seeds of Elm Tree white background.
Leaves and seeds of Elm Tree.

Elm trees are used for many different purposes, including providing shade and used in furniture and flooring manufacturing. Yale University states it is a flexible wood often used to make hockey sticks as well.

The fruit of the elm tree is a samara, meaning it is winged and carried on the wind.

Like the maple tree samaras, elm samaras ripen and float off the branches in the spring.

Chestnut Tree Fruits

Chestnuts in shell on tree.
Chestnuts in shell on tree.

If you’re not too familiar with what a chestnut fruit casing looks like, you may be surprised! They are green to brown spiky balls that fall to the ground. I don’t know about you, but as a kid, we used to whip these at each other for fun! 

And never did we know there was such a delicious nut inside! Like acorns, chestnuts must be cooked or soaked before consumption due to high tannin content. You’ll know your chestnuts are ready to eat when they no longer taste bitter.

Bringing It All Together

That’s all we have on what trees have acorns and what you can do with them! As you can tell, acorns have tons of uses, from eating and baking to decorating and planting.

To recap, acorns only come from oak trees. They can be all different shapes and sizes. Acorns should not be eaten raw due to their tannin content but can easily be boiled or soaked to remove the tannin and make them edible. You can also use acorns for decoration, wildlife viewing, and planting your very own oak tree.

Plenty of other trees produce fruit, such as maples, chestnuts, and beech. The fruits are meant to protect the seed, which we often call a tree nut. 

The next time you see an acorn on the ground while walking the neighborhood or in a park, you might have a new perspective on all the possible uses of an acorn.

References

Donleavy-Johnston, S. (1995). Medicinal uses of acorn: An ethnobotanic and experimental study [The Union Institute Dissertation Paper]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Gribko, L. S., & Jones, W. E. (1995). Test of the float method of assessing northern red oak acorn condition. Tree Planters’ Notes46(4), 143-147.

Taib, M., Rezzak, Y., Bouyazza, L., & Lyoussi, B. (2020). Medicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities of Quercus Species.

Oak trees and maple trees. What comes to mind when you hear these words? Maybe it is the sticky syrup that pairs perfectly with a pancake, or the acorns that squirrels love to snatch up.

In general, oak and maple trees can be determined by their leaves. White oak tree leaves usually have a rounded tip, while red oak trees have tips that tend to be more pointed. Maple tree leaves have veins, are pinnate, and made up of three single leaves to create one large leaf.

So, is one tree better than the other? If you pick maples vs oak or vice versa, will you regret it? The truth is, either might be perfect for you. One might also end up being better than the other based on your needs and expectations. We are here to give you some insight that will help you come to a conclusion… so, come along!

What Are The Major Differences Between Oak and Maple Trees?

There’s no argument about it. All trees are different, depending on fruit, leaves, bark, or even just the potential for growth or ability to adapt to difficult environments.

Some trees do better around water, while some don’t need it nearly as much. There are so many factors that go into determining different species and their applicable offshoots.

Specifically, though, you may be wondering not about these finite details that could be discussed for hours, but the actual differences between the trees themselves. 

Whether you are looking for lumber, to plant a new shade tree in the family backyard, or to plant something that will make your business attractive to customers as they walk through the door, knowing about what you are buying matters. 

Trees are nature, but they are also a product and, when it comes to deciding which product to obtain for your space, we want you to have all the important details!

Well, here are a few things to know about the specific differences between maple and oak trees.

Is Maple Harder Than White Oak?

In a word, yes. 

With further explanation, yes… but.

Maple and oak are both hardwood trees, but maple is harder than oak. However, oak is more stable than maple, especially when working with flooring and products that require thinner, more finely-cut pieces of wood. 

If you are looking to buy a tree for your yard, this difference does not matter nearly as much as it would for someone looking to source the best kind of wood for a new home or business. 

To give you some quantitative information, maple ranks at 1450 while white oak is at a slightly lesser 1360 and, another species, red oak comes in at 1290 on the Janka hardness rating scale.

Are Oak Trees Bigger Than Maple?

Maple trees actually have a much greater range of sizes than oak trees. Most maples grow to a height of 10-45 meters, which translates to about 35-150 feet, more or less. Other times, these trees can end up being less than 10 meters tall and will appear more like shrubs due to the multiple small trunks stemming out at ground level.

Because some species of maple are actually shrubs, their mature heights may be as short as 8 feet tall. These smaller maples may also be able to grow in containers due to their small size, even if just for the beginning of their life span.

As for oak trees, the small ones may reach about 6-9 meters, or about 20-30 feet, whereas larger oak trees will reach 30 meters or 100 feet. Whereas maple trees may hold the title for the broadest range of growth, oaks are known for something else.

Oak trees show significant growth not only in their height but also in a horizontal manner. Everything from as low as the roots to as high as the tallest branch is likely to grow far from the middle of the tree. Maple trees of a similar size would not exhibit this same lateral sort of growth. Keep this in mind if you are looking to fit a tall tree into a small patch of property.

Major Oak Tree and Maple Tree Leaf and Bark Differences

To really, truly differentiate between oak and maple, there first needs to be a proper understanding of the trees.

There are 2 main categories of oak trees, red and white oak. Within these categories, in North America alone, there are dozens of different varieties. Altogether, when we account for new varieties, hybrids, and oaks that appear internationally, there are about 500 varieties of oak trees. 

Luckily, we can divide oak trees between red and white, while there are fewer (about 100) varieties of maple trees. This means that we can just call them all maple and keep the comparison coming. 

When it’s all said and done, there are really two major parts of a tree that we can compare- the leaves and bark.

Without further adieu, the 4 major differentiating factors between oaks (white and red) and maple trees.

Oak Leaves Vs. Maple Leaves Differences

So… leaves. Arguably one of the most important aspects of a tree. They are the blob that children learn to draw atop what would otherwise be a brown line. They give the tree character and change into a beautiful sea of color during the colder months of the year. 

The chemical composition of leaves themselves can actually be related to soil conditions. Remember how we mentioned trees that are more adaptable to less ideal conditions? These are often selected for afforestation, and studies have been done that show that there is a significant difference in those leaves of trees which have different soil conditions to nurture the growth.

How could one possibly know all of the intricacies, all of the differences between the leaves of an oak and a maple tree? We are here to help with just that question.

Oak vs. Maple Leaf Shape

White oak leaves usually have a rounded tip, while their red cousins have tips that tend to be more pointed. 

Similarly, the lobe of a white oak is also rounded without bristles coming up at the tip of the lobe. This means that the serrations along the outer edges of the white oak leaf are also rounded.

Red oak leaves have pointed lobes that do, in fact, sport some bristles at the lobe tips. This species of oak is a bit trickier than its counterpart because there is a greater variety of leaf shapes that might appear. The edges of red oak leaves may be round and more smoothly serrated, or they might sport harsher, more acute edges.

The leaves of a maple tree are pinnate and actually made up of three single leaves to create this one larger leaf that we see. The individual leaves are curved, but irregularly so, sort of like those of a white oak but not quite. 

These hard maple leaves have lobes that are compared to the spaces between the fingers of a human hand. They are rounded, a bit spaced out without being too far apart, and characteristic of a hard maple leaf.

If you happen to be dealing with a soft maple leaf, the lobes will be shaped more like a ‘V’ than a ‘U’ because of the sharper edges of the leaf as a whole.

Maple Leaf Veins (& Petioles)

The maple leaf petiole, which we see just before the veins start, is long and reddish. It also appears to be coarsely toothed throughout the leaf. One small downside is that this is subject to attack by a ‘maple petiole borer’, a wasp that will not cause major damage but will certainly act as a hindrance to the success of your maple tree.

The veins of both oaks and maples are thin and spread through the leaves themselves.

Oak Vs. Maple Tree Bark Differences

close up of maple tree trunk in park at summer
Close up of maple tree trunk in park at summer.

Aren’t trees classified by their leaves? How else can you tell apart an oak and a maple if not for the shape of the leaves as you walk past? 

What is one to do in the winter when trying to determine the species of tree at which they are looking? That’s easy!

Bark is a great, relatively easy, classifier of tree species during the winter months when trees (other than evergreens) have lost all of their pretty leaves that normally help us differentiate between them. 

So, that’s all well and good but… what are the differences in bark that might be useful to us?

Oak vs. Maple Tree Bark Shade

Hard Maple usually exhibits a color that is both lighter and more consistent throughout the trunk and branches. 

Soft maple, however, is typically a darker color, mixing in shades of brown, red, and even grey at times.

Young oak trees often have a silvery brown look, while mature oak trees will see a change in the color of their bark. Of course, it all depends on the species but the bark may become a light grey in some white oak varieties. On the contrary, red oak varieties may shift toward a very dark color, almost black looking at times.

This is one reason why it is difficult to classify comparisons in ‘this’ vs ‘that’ when trees have so many species and even more varieties within those. It really is ‘this entire category of plant life’ vs ‘a different, yet related whole category of plant life.’

Oak vs. Maple Tree Bark Texture

A young red maple may have smooth, unbroken bark that looks quite different from the cracked-looking, rougher bark of, say, a northern red oak.

Somewhere in the middle would fall the scarlet oak, which has some vertical cracks and seams in the bark that is otherwise smooth, more similar to the young red maple than the northern red oak, funny enough. 

Generally, the bark of young oak trees is smooth, though this may not be true of every single variety. Especially as these trees mature, the bark will become more cracked with deep ridges along the bark. 

What Defines An Oak Tree?

Let’s summarize some of the finer points of what it really means to talk about an oak tree.

To identify oak trees, first, you will want to look for the leaves, if there are any. You’ll expect to see deeply lobed leaves that may sport either pointed or rounded tips (we know, they just can’t make it easy on us, right?)

If you cannot get a good look at those leaves for whatever reason, winter, the height of the branches, or some other reason, look to the bark for some answers!

The bark should have a scaly look due to its ridges and the deep fissures running along the trunk. If the tree is visibly younger, with a thinner trunk and shorter overall height, the bark may appear smooth. This doesn’t mean it’s not an oak tree, just that it is not yet fully matured. 

The color of the bark may be whitish silver, but it could get as dark as black. So, knowing the color of the bark may not be as helpful in this scenario.

The fruit of an oak tree is more commonly referred to as a nut, the acorn in particular. If properly prepared, humans can eat these nuts just like any other! 

Keep these key factors in mind, and you’ll be able to distinguish oaks in no time!

What Defines A Maple Tree?

Maple tree turning yellow in autumn in a public park.
Maple tree turning yellow in autumn in a public park.

We’ve had the chance to talk about identifying an oak tree in summary, so now let’s go over maples!

To identify maple trees, the best indicator is the leaves. Maple tree leaves will have between 3 and 9 lobes, and some will have prominent veins (the petioles.) Many of these leaves will have serrated lobes. 

All of these factors together (amount of lobes, shape of the leaf as a whole, serration, and indentations on the leaf) will help to identify specific varieties within the maple category.

In the fall months, maple trees find their leaves changing color. You’ll be able to spot shades of red, yellow, burgundy, and orange. Sometimes a single tree will have a mixture of all of these colors!

In the summer months, and as they grow back in the spring, maple leaves are a dark green color. They have fruit in the form of winged seeds. These are sometimes known as helicopters.

A cool tip: humans can eat these nut-like fruits, samaras, too! Unlike acorns, these can be plucked right from the tree and are actually said to be tastier when picked this way, as opposed to being collected as the tree releases them naturally. The more you know!

Finally, we couldn’t forget about the fact that maple trees produce the sap which is the ever-important base of maple syrup. Yum! But also… sticky. More to consider, this sap could be a pro or a con. Maybe it’s both- you’ll have to decide this for yourself.

Lock these characteristics in your brain, so that the next time you try to distinguish a maple tree, you won’t be doing so in vain.

What Are The Most Valuable Hardwood Trees?

In temperate climates, both oak and maple trees are among the most valuable hardwood trees. They stand among ash, cherry, walnut, and tulipwood in this categorization.

Furniture is their main use, but joinery and interior decoration are other popular ways to incorporate these hardwood trees into one’s home, office, or other business space.

Is Oak Better Than Maple?

This question is commonly asked but does not have a satisfying answer. Unfortunately, there are just too many factors to compare and too many differences in what people hope to get out of a tree (or its lumber) to be able to classify one as ‘better’ than the other.

That’s All For Now!

Now that we’ve learned a little more about the differences between maple and oak trees, as well as what makes them unique, it’s clear that trees are complex organisms that deserve thorough research and understanding before you choose a specific kind.

Maple might be harder than oak but oak is more stable. Maple is better suited for smaller square footages, while oak will not produce a sticky sap. There are many more factors like these that go into the decision of which one is ‘the one.’

When one tree is eventually selected, whether you are planting the tree itself or looking to harvest its wood, we hope that you feel confident in your decision.

It’s not likely that you’ll run into huge issues or downsides with a maple or an oak tree, but keep these factors in mind as you continue to look into what you will eventually purchase. 

The fruit of each tree will likely attract some little critters, but can also act as the star of a fun foraging activity for those with kids (or anyone who wants to mindfully use all of their resources!) 

The leaves are all similar, but different. The bark tells you things that the leaves wouldn’t be able to and is a great substitute for those trying to distinguish species amid winter. 

Both maple and oak trees are sturdy, beneficial to own, produce great wood, and offer a source of shade when you are in need. 

But, don’t forget that each tree is individual. Expect a beautiful touch of the natural world in your backyard, in your home, or anywhere else that you are in the presence of these two great hardwood trees. 

References

James C. Finley and Sanford S. Smith. October 2009. From the Woods: Ten Important Hardwoods. PennState Extension.

Ovington, J. D. (1956). The composition of tree leaves. Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research, 29(1), 22-28.

Koczan, G., Karwat, Z., & Kozakiewicz, P. (2021). An attempt to unify the Brinell, Janka and Monnin hardness of wood on the basis of Meyer law. Journal of Wood Science67(1), 1-16.

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