Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)

Large trees

• Maximum height
  90 feet
• Relative growth rate
  Good
• Freedom from insect pests
  Poor
• Freedom from disease problems
  Poor
• Resistance to storm damage
  Good
• Will grow on poorly drained soil
  Poor
• Will grow in hot, dry areas
  Poor
• Easy to transplant
  Good
• Withstands city conditions
  Very poor

The fire red to yellow fall color of the sugar maple is one of the most beautiful sights in Missouri. The sap of this tree can be boiled down to produce maple syrup and sugar. Mature sugar maples show a wide variation in form but tend to have a broad, rounded head. At least one disease and two insects attack sugar maple; this limits its usefulness in areas of the state where these pests are a problem. Susceptibility to gas and smoke damage makes sugar maple unsuitable for city conditions. It does not tolerate poor soil drainage.