How To Identify Maple Leaves

June 19, 2025

In the image above, you will note slight variations between four different types of maple trees — red maple (Acer rubrum), silver maple (Acer saccharinum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and black maple (Acer nigrum). You may also note that there are many similarities and things they have in common.

Similarities Between Maple Leaves:

These leaves are all “palmately lobed”, meaning the lobes radiate from a central point.
Each maple leaf lobe has one main vein running through its center, and all these veins meet together at the base of the leaf where it attaches to the stem. This creates a hand-like pattern called “palmate venation”.
Each leaf is made up of either 3 or 5 lobes, depending on the species.
Leaves are arranged oppositely on the branches.
All produce paired, winged seeds called samaras.
Each is a deciduous tree with showy fall color.
All of these maple trees can be tapped to make delicious maple syrup (AKA Maple Sugaring!).

Differences Between Maple Leaves:

Feature	Red Maple (Acre rubrum)	Silver Maple (Acre saccharinum)	Sugar Maple (Acre saccharum)	Black Maple (Acre nigrum)
Lobe Count	3–5 (usually 3 major)	5 (deeply cut)	5 (rarely 3)	3 (occasionally 5, but usually 3)
Lobe Shape	V-shaped notches, serrated edges	Deep U-shaped notches, deeply cut	U-shaped notches, smooth between lobes	Shallow notches, drooping, rounded lobes
Leaf Margin	Serrated/toothed	Deeply toothed, irregular	Smooth (not toothed)	Smooth or slightly wavy, often drooping
Underside Color/Texture	Sometimes lighter, not silvery	Silvery-white, smooth	Slightly lighter, usually smooth	Paler, densely hairy (velvety)
Leaf Size	2–4 in (5–10 cm )	3–6 in, large (8–16 cm)	3–6 in (8–15 cm)	6 in, broad (Up to 16 cm)
General Leaf Appearance	Flat, typical maple shape	Deeply cut, lacy	Classic maple, broad	Drooping, soft, velvety underside

Additional Notes on Black Maple

Black maple is extremely similar to sugar maple but is often distinguished by its 3-lobed, drooping leaves with a soft, velvety underside and the presence of stipules at the base of the leaf stem.
The bark of black maple is darker and more deeply grooved than that of sugar maple.
Black maple’s fall color is usually yellow to orange-red.
It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of sugar maple due to their similarities and tendency to hybridize.

Conclusion

While this article focused on the similarities and differences between the leaves of Silver Maple, Sugar Maple, Black Maple, and Red Maple, it’s important to note that these are not the only Acer species suitable for syrup making. I hope this guide has helped you better identify the maple trees in your woods, but keep in mind that other varieties—such as the Sycamore Maple or the Big Leaf Maple—can also produce delicious syrup. With a keen eye and a bit of curiosity, there’s always more to discover in the sugarbush.

Are you interested in tapping maple trees to make maple syrup? Check out this How to Make Maple Syrup Guide to get started. We would be honored for the opportunity to help you on your maple syrup journey. 920-202-4500

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