Silver Maple is a fast-growing native shade tree that brings grace and movement to any landscape. Its distinctive silvery leaf undersides shimmer in the breeze, creating a dynamic visual effect as wind catches them, while the canopy develops into a rounded, spreading form that reaches 50 to 80 feet tall and 35 to 50 feet wide. Hardy across zones 3 through 9, this cultivar thrives in moist soils but tolerates surprisingly well in dry conditions, making it equally at home along streams and rivers or in challenging urban settings. It's a tree that works hard: as a shade provider, a street tree, and a rain garden specialist that handles wet soil without complaint.
840
Partial Sun
Moderate
3-9
600in H x 600in W
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Moderate
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The silver undersides of its leaves catch light and wind in ways that continuously animate the canopy, creating an ever-shifting display that distinguishes Silver Maple from other large shade trees. Fast growth means you won't wait decades for substantial canopy coverage. This native tree tolerates the full spectrum of moisture conditions, from poorly drained floodplain soils to surprisingly dry ground, and handles urban pollution, poor compacted soil, and even the allelopathic effects of black walnut. Plant it where you need shade quickly, where water collects after storms, or where other trees struggle with poor conditions.
Silver Maple serves as a shade tree for lawns and landscapes, a street tree for urban environments where it withstands pollution and compacted soils, and a rain garden specialist that stabilizes wet areas and filters stormwater runoff. Its rapid growth and spreading crown make it valuable for quickly establishing shade in exposed locations.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Prune Silver Maple in late winter or early spring before growth resumes. Focus on removing branches that grew at narrow angles to the main trunk, as these are prone to splitting under ice and snow load. Eliminate crossing or rubbing branches, and thin the canopy to improve air circulation. Because weak branching is a characteristic weakness of this fast-growing tree, structural pruning when young pays dividends in preventing storm damage later.
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