Acer saccharinum
L.
Silver Maple
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
jayjt, CC BY 4.0
Kathy Richardson, CC BY 4.0
Ben Redding, CC BY 4.0
Nick Butcher, CC BY 4.0
bookfinch, CC BY 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.136917
Element CodePDACE010G0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSapindales
FamilySapindaceae
GenusAcer
Other Common Names
Érable argenté (FR) silver maple (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2016-05-13
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition AuthorsYekell, S. (TNC-LASP), rev. Eberly (2025)
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Acer saccharinum is a deciduous tree that is widespread in southeastern Canada and the central and eastern United States. With a large range extent, hundreds of occurrences, and abundant habitat, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Acer saccharinum occurs in eastern North America from southeastern Canada, southern Nova Scotia west and south through New Brunswick, Québec, and Ontario, and the central and eastern United States from North Dakota and New England southward to Florida (panhandle), Alabama, Louisiana, and Oklahoma (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025??). It is considered non-native west of this range in the United States and Saskatchewan, Canada (NatureServe 2025, POWO 2025), and it is also considered exotic in South America, Europe, and Asia (POWO 2025). It is a common street tree and often escapes cultivation (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
This species often grows in riparian habitats including floodplains, bottomlands, and riverbanks (Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - Hardwood
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Saskatchewan | SNA | No |
| Nova Scotia | S1 | Yes |
| Ontario | S5 | Yes |
| New Brunswick | S4 | Yes |
| Quebec | S3 | Yes |
United StatesN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | S5 | Yes |
| West Virginia | S5 | Yes |
| Connecticut | SNR | Yes |
| Colorado | SNA | No |
| California | SNA | No |
| Washington | SNA | No |
| North Dakota | SNR | Yes |
| Maine | SNR | Yes |
| Nebraska | SNR | Yes |
| Alabama | SNR | Yes |
| Massachusetts | SNR | Yes |
| Maryland | SNR | Yes |
| Vermont | S5 | Yes |
| New Mexico | SNA | No |
| Missouri | SNR | Yes |
| Idaho | SNA | No |
| Texas | SNR | Yes |
| Oregon | SNA | No |
| New Jersey | S4 | Yes |
| South Dakota | SNR | Yes |
| Minnesota | SNR | Yes |
| South Carolina | S4 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | SNR | Yes |
| Iowa | S5 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S3 | Yes |
| Arkansas | SNR | Yes |
| New York | S5 | Yes |
| District of Columbia | S5 | Yes |
| Ohio | SNR | Yes |
| Indiana | S5 | Yes |
| Mississippi | SNR | Yes |
| Kentucky | S5 | Yes |
| Rhode Island | SNR | Yes |
| Louisiana | SNR | Yes |
| Oklahoma | SNR | Yes |
| Delaware | S5 | Yes |
| Illinois | SNR | Yes |
| Wisconsin | SNR | Yes |
| Florida | SNR | Yes |
| Michigan | SNR | Yes |
| Kansas | S5 | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | S5 | Yes |
| Tennessee | SNR | Yes |
| Georgia | S3 | Yes |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived, DECIDUOUS
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (29)
Arizona (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Cdo Wsa | Coronado National Forest | 1,955 |
California (9)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Seco | Angeles National Forest | 4,703 |
| Box Camp | Klamath National Forest | 858 |
| Deep Creek | San Bernardino National Forest | 23,869 |
| Devil Gulch | Sierra National Forest | 30,490 |
| Grizzly Peak | Plumas National Forest | 6,222 |
| Horse Mdw. | Inyo National Forest | 5,687 |
| Mill Peak | San Bernardino National Forest | 7,884 |
| Mystic (CA) | Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest | 836 |
| Strawberry Peak | Angeles National Forest | 7,245 |
Colorado (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Long Park | Routt NF | 42,100 |
Michigan (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Norwich Plains Revised Roadless Area | Ottawa National Forest | 4,360 |
Nevada (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Boundary Peak (NV) | Inyo National Forest | 21,851 |
| Mystic (NV) | Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest | 5,644 |
New Hampshire (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Mountain | White Mountain National Forest | 8,766 |
| Kilkenny | White Mountain National Forest | 28,766 |
Pennsylvania (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Allegheny Front | Allegheny National Forest | 7,430 |
Tennessee (3)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Flint Mill Gap | Cherokee National Forest | 9,494 |
| Sampson Mountain Addition | Cherokee National Forest | 3,064 |
| Stone Mountain | Cherokee National Forest | 5,367 |
Utah (3)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 418025 | Uinta National Forest | 32,698 |
| Signal Peak | Fishlake National Forest | 30,889 |
| Wellsville | Wasatch-Cache National Forest | 1,717 |
Virginia (4)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Adams Peak | George Washington National Forest | 7,135 |
| Mt. Pleasant | George Washington National Forest | 8,933 |
| New London Bridge Branch | Jefferson National Forest | 844 |
| Northern Massanutten | George Washington National Forest | 9,444 |
West Virginia (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Fork | Monongahela National Forest | 657 |
| Little Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 8,172 |
References (10)
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2024. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 13. Magnoliophyta: Geraniaceae to Apiaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 566 pp.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
- iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
- Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
- Killeen, T., E. García & S. G. Beck. Guía de árboles de Bolivia. 958 pp. Herbario Nacional de Bolivia y Missouri Botanical Garden. Quipus S.R.L. La Paz Bolivia.
- Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.
- NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
- Plants of the World Online (POWO). 2025. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Online. Available: https://powo.science.kew.org/ (accessed 2025).
- <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
- Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).