silver maple

Also known as Soft Maple, Creek Maple, Silverleaf Maple, Water Maple

Silver maples are fast-growing wetland trees recognized by deep narrow lobes on their leaves, which flash shimmering silver undersides when whipped by breeze. Emerging before the leaves in early spring, their understated reddish flowers provide an essential early nectar source for emerging native pollinators. Their shallow root systems and brittle wood adapt them for rapid growth along riverbanks, though branches often shed during heavy ice or windstorms.