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Home  /  Plants  /  Budburst Species  /  Acer glabrum
Phenology Observation Sheet for Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

COMMON NAME

Rocky Mountain maple

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Acer glabrum

ALSO KNOWN AS

Douglas maple, Mountain maple

Plant family

Soapberry (Sapindaceae)

Plant group

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

Rocky mountain maple trees have small, rounded, 3 to 5 lobed leaves. The leaves also have two sizes of pointed teeth which distinguish it from red maples.
141 reports
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OBSERVERS
141+
OBSERVATIONS
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Identification hints

Rocky mountain maple trees have small, rounded, 3 to 5 lobed leaves. The leaves also have two sizes of pointed teeth which distinguish it from red maples. The flowers of Rocky mountain maple are small and yellowish-green. The fruits are samaras (wing-like and sometimes referred to as "helicopters").
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Did you know?

Rocky Mountain maple is a highly valued big game browse species. Moose, elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer to varying degrees throughout the year eat its leaves and twigs, but it is especially important as a winter food source.Contributed By: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center and the Biota of North America Program.
DISTRIBUTION IN TH U.S.
Alaska , Arizona , California , Colorado , Idaho , Montana , Nebraska , New Mexico , Nevada , Oregon , South Dakota , Utah , Washington , Wyoming
HABITAT
Rocky mountain maple grows at moist but well-drained seepage sites, mostly in rocky areas, along stream banks, moist slopes, canyons, and ravines, sometimes dry ridges, at low to middle elevations and moist sites in high mountains.
ATTRIBUTES
Leaves
Leaves are a shiny dark green on the topside, paler or whitish on the underside, with a reddish stem. They are usually oval-shaped with a double-toothed edge, occurring in clumps of 3 to 5. Sometimes they are more lance-shaped and occur in clumps of 3.
Flowers
Small greenish-yellow clusters on drooping stalks. Flowers bloom from mid-spring to summer (April to July), depending on location.
Fruits
The fruit is a double samara ("helicopter") with wings that are 2.5 cm long. They sometimes have a reddish tint when ripe.
Bark
Thin, tight, and smooth; gray or brown.

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