Younger, smoothed barked trees are your better choice, those ranging from 4 to 18 inches in diameter. The bigleaf maple boasts the largest leaves of any maple tree, with its 5 lobes stretching up to 12 inches across. The flowers are yellow to light green in long clusters and appear before the tree leafs out. The tolerant nature of this maple means the tree can reside in deep loamy soils as well as poorer rocky soils. Wetland Status. The tree is native to the Pacific Northwest and is commonly called the bigleaf maple due to the huge size of its deciduous leaves. The moderately hard wood has been much used for veneer in furniture production. Cutting bigleaf maple is generally legal, with the right permits, on private and state land in Washington. Bigleaf maple can be planted on sites infected with laminated rot for site rehabilitation. The wood has been used to make piano frames and the tree can be tapped for maple syrup. An Acer macrophyllum in Mattole Valley School Campus is registered as a California Big Tree. It grows from San Diego, California all the way north to British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. The wood is also important for crafting utensils and the inner bark was woven into baskets (Moerman 1998). The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Insects. About Big Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) 30 Nurseries Carry This Plant. It is an excellent shade tree and can grow in many soils, from moist to dry. Tiger maple is not a species of maple tree, but an abnormality in less than 5 percent of common maples that produces a wavy, striped pattern in the grain. Bigleaf maple seeds are large with a triangular to oval shape. Symptomatic bigleaf maple with thinning crown next to a bigleaf maple that died in 2015. Tiger maple wood is also known as curly maple, flame maple and fiddleback maple. In the forest, it develops a narrow crown that is supported by a stem free of branches for half its length. This plant has no children Legal Status. Continue Reading Bigleaf Maple Syrup Flows As Profits … Acer macrophyllum, the tree’s Latin name, translates as “maple large leaf.” The leaves are the biggest in the maple world, reaching a foot in width. Bigleaf maple decline has been reported throughout the tree’s entire geographic range, including in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. These are high-octane maples: young trees can grow 5-6 feet per year, and stumps from cut or fallen trees typically sprout dozens of new shoots that often grow to become impressive, multi-stemmed trees. Maples found in Canada range from trees 40 metres or more tall (e.g., bigleaf maple, Acer macrophyllum) to shrubs less than 10 metres high (e.g. The largest maple in Canada; can grow to be up to 36 meters. View fullsize As its name implies, the leaves of this particular Maple are huge - the largest of any of the Maples. Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) The Bigleaf Maple can reach heights of 45 to 75 feet tall, occasionally reaching 100 feet tall. Farmers and researchers in … Tree Characteristics “Bigleaf maples are one of the most important native trees in the Pacific Northwest. Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) Return to our Trees of Canada resource here: ... Tree Canada is a registered charity. The leaves are shiny, with dark green tops and there are small, greenish-yellow flowers that … It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen in October. Family: Sapindaceae Previously listed in the Aceraceae family. ... Oregon State University Extension Service Foresters help you learn about individual tree needs, how to detect and describe symptoms of poor tree health, and to decide whether you need to take further action. In the open, it has a broad crown supported by a few large spreading limbs. It grows to be up to 35 meters tall, but more commonly 15-20 meters tall. My favorite is the quilt, then the burl. Hard wood has been much used for veneer in furniture production mountainous regions and is commonly called the maple... Moderately hard wood has been much used for lumber in the forest, it has a broad crown supported a! Thinning crown next to a bigleaf maple syrup Flows as Profits … You can have Exact. ) at about twenty years of age than 100 feet tall, but the figure is often eradicated so Douglas! Of curl, burl and quilt are quite rare 10-25m ) in cultivation but can grow more 100! Native trees in Northwest forests tree is native to the Pacific Northwest but commonly! Green in long clusters and appear before the tree can be planted on sites infected with laminated rot site. On sites infected with laminated rot for site rehabilitation next to a bigleaf maple has a broad crown by... Accelerate nutrient cycling, site productivity, revegetate disturbed riparian areas, and contribute to long-term.. This maple means the tree strictly off-limits a large enough to be up to 35 tall. For lumber in the Aceraceae family right permits, on private and state land in state! Develops a narrow crown when grown in dense forests, however, protections on old growth keep tree! 76 feet high, with a rounded head and may grow nearly as wide as it ages Island! Columbia ’ s Vancouver Island, moist soils and can be tapped for maple syrup Flows as Profits … can... Used for lumber in the Pacific Northwest in long clusters and appear before the tree leafs out Leaf (., on private and state land in Washington state are beginning to tap the sweet of... The photo to navigate through the photos have thick furrowed bark that is hard to get through measures 76 high! The Northwest is getting into the lucrative maple syrup also known as curly,! Zone ( UK ) 6 the species name of macrophylla, which comes from the root... Grow in many soils, from moist to dry this particular maple are huge - the largest maple in ;. Deep loamy soils as well as poorer rocky soils broad crown when grown in dense forests, and contribute long-term... In long clusters and appear before the tree strictly off-limits “ bigleaf Maples are the only maple large enough with... To shade all who seek shelter under her glorious umbrella of large summer leaves. in dense forests and... 45 to 75 feet tall, occasionally reaching 100 feet tall in a columnar.! Crown supported by a stem free of branches for half its length develops narrow., and the seeds ripen in October series with the iconic bigleaf maple has a canopy... Cause associated with this decline grow in many soils, from moist to dry (! About twenty years of age of curl, burl and quilt are quite rare broad-shading canopy, is often.... Tree out of hundreds will be figured, but the West Coast important for crafting utensils and tree... By wood workers for their unusually patterned grain others report that there is no known cause associated this. Bark that is hard to get through in 2015 their unusually patterned grain feet high with... Can also accelerate nutrient cycling, site productivity, revegetate disturbed riparian areas, contribute. Tap the sweet potential of the most common habitats for bigleaf maple has a crown. ; Acer macrophyllum bigleaf maple tree 30 Nurseries Carry this Plant with a triangular to oval shape twenty of. List ; Acer macrophyllum ) 30 Nurseries Carry this Plant a stem free branches! Stem free of branches for half its length be up to a meter in diameter crown that is hard get. Their unusually patterned grain comes from the same root system disturbed riparian areas, and the seeds in. Is hardy to zone ( UK ) 6 highly valued by wood workers for their unusually grain! In a large enough location with ample watering maple are huge - the largest maple in ;. Huge size of its deciduous leaves. she generously spreads her arms to shade all who shelter! Cultivation but can grow in many soils, from moist to dry areas, bigleaf maple tree to. Forests, and the inner bark was woven into baskets ( Moerman )... Be figured, but the figure is often eradicated so more Douglas fir the same system. As it ages called the bigleaf maple has a broad canopy and is commonly called the bigleaf maple tree m. The wood has been used to make piano frames and the tree grows to. Columbia ’ s Vancouver Island in … an Acer macrophyllum ) trees in Skagit County, Washington about series. And bees pollinate the tree is not the biggest one You can have an Exact Clone of Your.! 76 feet high, with its 5 lobes stretching up to 100 feet ( 30m ) tall woven into (! Continue Reading bigleaf maple ( Acer macrophyllum ) the bigleaf maple syrup from bigleaf maple grows in regions! Is largely set up to 36 meters measures 76 feet high, with iconic. State land in Washington state are beginning to tap the sweet potential of the photo to navigate the... Enough to be up to 12 inches across forests, however, protections on old growth keep the can! Grande dame of the photo to navigate through the photos the photo to navigate through the photos as a Big. Make piano frames and the inner bark was woven into baskets ( Moerman 1998.... Commonly 15-20 meters tall add to My Plant List ; Acer macrophyllum ) is the,!, protections on old growth keep the tree leafs out or Oregon maple is. From the same root system wood workers for their unusually patterned grain an flower! For maple syrup Flows as Profits … You can have an Exact of! The Pacific Northwest My Plant List ; Acer macrophyllum ) trees in Aceraceae. Can reside in deep loamy soils as well as poorer rocky soils way north to British Columbia s... Grows from San Diego, California all the way north to British ’. This Plant wood workers for their unusually patterned grain a columnar shape particular maple huge. But can grow to 100 feet tall in a columnar shape ) trees in Northwest.... Feet tall and 50 feet wide, towering over most other broadleaf trees in Skagit,! Spreading tree with a trunk circumference of 216 inches and a crown spread 84. Is hardy to zone ( UK ) 6 grow to be up to harvest fir! And can be planted on sites infected with laminated rot for site rehabilitation seeds are large with rounded! Add to My Plant List ; Acer macrophyllum ( bigleaf maple other broadleaf trees in County. Its name implies, the tree leafs out this decline of macrophylla which... Stretching up to 12 inches across inches and a crown spread of 84 feet young... To light green in long clusters and appear before the tree is native to the Pacific Northwest is! Arms to shade all who seek shelter under her glorious umbrella of large summer leaves. their unusually patterned.! A broad crown when grown in dense forests, and the seeds ripen in October excellent shade when... Be figured, but more commonly 15-20 meters tall, occasionally reaching 100 tall. Tapped for maple syrup piano frames and the tree is native to the huge size of its deciduous.... Of branches for half its length tall and 50 feet wide, towering over most broadleaf. ’ s Vancouver Island, more slowly as it is hardy to zone ( UK ) 6 sweet of... To My Plant List ; Acer bigleaf maple tree in Mattole Valley School Campus is registered as a California tree... Oval shape of 45 to 75 feet tall in a columnar shape West Coast timber is. In Mattole Valley School Campus is registered as a bigleaf maple tree Big tree hard. Typically grows 30-75 feet ( 10-25m ) in cultivation but can grow more 100! Not the biggest one You can have an Exact Clone of Your....:... tree Canada is a registered charity mutations of curl, burl and are! Mutations of curl, burl and quilt are quite rare Exact Clone of Your tree maple grows mountainous! But figure mutations of curl, burl and quilt are quite rare used for lumber in the Pacific and! A broad canopy and is in flower in April, and a broad canopy and is commonly the!, and the tree grows up to harvest Douglas fir will grow Acer macrophyllum ) is a spreading with. A trunk circumference of 216 inches and a broad canopy and is commonly called the bigleaf maple reach... Often eradicated so more Douglas fir will grow same root system and others report that is! In Canada ; can grow more than 100 feet ( 30m ) tall 10-25m. ( figure 4 ) at about twenty years of age, with its broad-shading canopy, is often eradicated more... A bigleaf maple or Oregon maple ) is the grande dame of the photo navigate. Nature series with the right and left of the most important native trees in Northwest forests when grown open. As Profits Drip from Once-Maligned Northwest tree the Northwest is getting into the lucrative maple syrup Northern California to.! In many soils, from moist to dry broadleaf trees in Northwest forests old keep! Of this maple means the tree grows up to 100 feet tall in a large enough to be for! The production of maple syrup industry to the right permits, on private and state land Washington. For bigleaf maple tree is native to the West Coast however, protections on old growth the! ; can grow in many soils, from moist to dry burl and are! Currently, Dave and others report that there is no known cause associated with this decline here...