Nothing says Canada like the maple tree, but will it grow here?
Given that today is Canada’s 150th birthday, I felt that it might be just a touch unpatriotic of me not to dedicate this column to maple trees.
And who knows, if I can spread enough ‘true patriot love’ today, a few readers might even be inspired enough to plant a maple or two in the year of our sesquicentennial.
Beyond the flag waving, I do have a deep love for all maple trees. I’m pretty sure it began during childhood when my brother and I decided to rig up a pulley and rope system between two huge maples that lined our lawn. The idea was that the contraption would allow us to glide effortlessly between the trees. We spent endless hours ‘flying’ among the tree canopies without causing too much damage to the trees or our bodies. Those same trees are still growing beautifully on the original farm site, but the rope and pulley are long gone.
A BIT OF SCIENCE
The rope and pulley rigged trees of my childhood were Manitoba maples (Acer negundo); a more cold and drought hardy species compared to the sugar maple (Acer saccharum), which was the inspiration for the stylized leaf on our national flag.
The sugar maple is a species native, primarily, to southern Ontario, Quebec and parts of the Maritime provinces, whereas the Manitoba maple has a much wider range and is more common on the Prairies. The Manitoba maple is often considered a bit of a weedy species, yet I have seen some incredibly beautiful specimens. And, of course, they are great for climbing and sky rides!
But what if you are dead set on planting the species of maple whose leaf adorns our flag? Probably the first question to ask is, ‘Will it survive on the Prairies?’ The answer is a qualified yes.
In their native range, sugar maples thrive in regions where rainfall averages around 100 centimetres or more annually with minimum winter temperatures not dipping much below -35 C for any length of time. Also, long autumns that cool fairly gradually — rather than abruptly — help to acclimatize bark tissue for winter cold. Around here, sugar maples are usually OK with our winter temperature minimums and seem to acclimatize fairly well to our capricious fall weather, but we only have about half of the rainfall the maples receive out east. Still, in our region, I have seen many large sugar maples that are absolutely magnificent and have suffered little — if any — dieback, provided they are planted in fairly sheltered spots and irrigated regularly.
Beyond the sugar and Manitoba maples there are a number of other species that grow quite well in many regions of the Prairies. For example, there are many great specimens of the purple-leafed Norway maples (Acer platanoides) that have a similar growth habit to that of the sugar maples. If you are inclined to plant a Norway maple, your biggest challenge might have to do with patriotism rather than planting. Some might argue that a tree with Norway in its name may not be all that patriotic during Canada’s 150th. But then again, if you have a bit of Norwegian lineage, I’m willing to give you a break.
Silver maples (Acer saccharinum) are another spectacular native tree that rivals the sugar maple in both height and girth. The silver in its name is derived from the leaf undersides that have a silvery sheen. The leaves are also highly ‘dissected’ and pointy relative to the sugar maple. Keep in mind that this species is still far too big at maturity for most yards.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
If you have the space and love big maples there are some great choices, but there are also much smaller maples.
Amur maple (Acer tartaricum) is a small, handsome plant that can be pruned into a tree form or left to grow as a multi-branched shrub. By late summer, its foliage transforms from green to a deep, rich-red. Its fall colour is no less spectacular than that of the sugar maple. If you want to add a bit of a twist with your Amur maple, plant one called ‘Hot Wings.’ Not only do its leaves transform from green to brilliant red in fall, but its samaras (winged seeds) also turn red — but do so during the summer. It’s a maple with a truly spectacular display.
If you are wondering when the best time is to plant your maple, remember this adage. ‘The best time to plant a tree was yesterday. The next best time to plant it is today.’
I think planting a maple sapling to commemorate Canada’s sesquicentennial is great thing to do. The grandkids will remember you when they celebrate Canada’s bicentennial … and they might even enjoy a nice sky ride on a warm, summer day!