![]() One must always choose the best route which matches the characteristics of the tree. The proper use of the key may be compared to the use of road signs where a choice of two directions must be made at each intersection. It does not include all trees grown in Iowa. Check out our definition of special terms page to learn more about the characteristics you'll see in the key. The key is based on vegetative characteristics such as leaves, twigs, fruits, and bark. In addition, hard maple is the preferred species for maple syrup production.This interactive dichotomous tree key was developed to help identify the most common trees in Iowa. The wood of hard maple is hard, heavy and shock resistant, used for a variety of products including fine furniture, flooring, veneer, musical instruments, bowling pins, billiard cues, handles, bobbins, pallets and crates. Because of its slower growth rates, soft and Norway maples are planted more often, but they are less desirable than the hard maples as a long lasting, desirable shade or street tree. Hard maples also have great utility for urban and community planting. Colors vary from deep shades of orange, red and golden yellow. Hard maples are a major contributor to Iowa's outstanding fall color. Because of their tolerance to shade, they are often a primary understory component of Iowa's upland woodlands. Their common associates include basswood and red oak. They occur naturally on a wide variety of sites, but prefer well drained, cool moist locations such as sheltered slopes facing to the north and east. Hard maples are very tolerant, slow growing, long lived with a wide-spreading lateral root system. They intergrade so freely that individuals, often cannot be distinguished even with the leaves. It is the only hard maple found in western Iowa. nigrum) is characterized by having shallowly 3-lobed leaves with drooping sides, nearly entire margins. saccharum) has deeply lobed 5-lobed leaves with several pairs of sharp teeth and pale lower surfaces. The fruit is a samara, 1-1 3/4" long, horseshoe shaped with nearly parallel or slightly divergent wings, maturing in September and October. The flowers of hard maple are 1/4 inch long, greenish yellow, born on clusters 1-3" in length, occurring before the leaves appear in the early spring. The secondary buds are only about 1/2 as long as the terminal buds. The buds are long and sharp pointed, cone-shaped, 3/16-1/4 inch long and gray-brown in color. The leaf scars are V-shaped, with 3 visible bundle scars. Winter twigs are moderate in diameter, light brown to orange brown in color, often with a pale waxy coating. The leaves are dull, dark green on the upper surface and lighter, yellow green below. The leaf margin is mostly entire with only 1-2 pairs of teeth per lobe. Hard maple is characterized by having opposite, simple leaves, 3-6" long with 3-5 lobes. Hard maple is one of Iowa's important commercial species as well as one of the most spectacular trees for beauty and fall color. Site requirements vary with the species of maple. Site Requirements: Maple trees perform best in moist, well-drained soils. ![]() Height: Mature height varies with species. ![]() Tree canopies may be very dense or wide spreading. Mature Shape: Maples typically have a large, rounded crown. ![]() Slower growing maples have heavier, harder wood, making them less susceptible to branch and limb drop. Maples that are fast growing tend to have weak wood and may suffer from wind and ice damage. When selecting a maple tree, be sure to select a species suited for Iowa’s weather. Most fall into zones 4 through 8, but some are less tolerant of cold or heat than others. Five species are found growing native in Iowa: boxelder, mountain maple, black maple, sugar maple, and silver maple. The silver maple is the most common, and was used widely by the early settlers for planting in groves about their farmsteads. Red maple is widely planted as an ornamental and may be native in Allamakee County. The maples are among our most important timber trees. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |