Tree Description:
A small tree to 50 feet with a dense, oval crown and a trunk up to 10" to 12" in diameter. Usually found near streams or seeps.
Range/Site Description:
Shaded canyons in the Texas Hill Country, the Edwards Plateau, and the mountains of the Trans-Pecos.
Leaf:
Simple, opposite leaves have 3 to 5 lobes and blades measuring 2" to 5" long and wide. Petioles 1" to 2" long. Main sinuses between lobes are distinctly rounded.
Flower:
Yellowish-green, appearing in the axils between leaf and stem.
Fruit:
A double samara, or maple "key," appearing in early fall, each half about 1" long.
Bark:
Thin, gray colored, and tight on young trees; breaking into broad plates on older trees.
Wood:
Sap can be collected to make a coarse sugar.
Similar Species:
Some botanists describe a 'Uvalde' variety of the species with three lobes and margins without teeth.
Interesting Facts:
Brilliant fall color can best be seen at Lost Maples State Park near Vanderpool, or in McKittrick Canyon of Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
