Latin Name
This maple tree is classified as Acer macrophyllum and belongs to the Sapindaceae (soapberry) family.
Common Names
In addition to big leaf maple, you may see this tree called Oregon maple, bigleaf maple or broadleaf maple.
Preferred USDA Hardiness Zones
This tree grows best in USDA Zones 5 to 9. It originally comes from Western North America.
Size and Shape of the Big Leaf Maple
This tree can be anywhere from 20 feet to 100 feet tall and wide depending on the environment. The shape is often rounded at maturity.
Exposure
This tree is able to grow in full sun, partial shade, and full shade.
Foliage/Flowers/Fruit
The leaves of this species live up to the name and are larger than those on any other maple species. They feature the lobes and palmate shape found on most maple trees. Each leaf can be more than a foot across. Sometimes, leaves can even be two feet across! In autumn they shift to orange-yellow or yellow. Flowers are produced from March to May and hang in different types of clusters called panicles or racemes. Blooms are yellow on this monoecious tree. Like all maples, there is a winged fruit called a samara. The outside of the fruit is hairy.
Design Tips
Plant this away from your house or walkways. The roots spread and can crack concrete or grow into plumbing pipes. If you want a variety that has red leaves for a few weeks when they first unfurl, the ‘Rubrum’ is a good choice.
Growing Tips
This tree does best in moist, well-draining soil. You can plant the seeds in the fall to start new trees. This will provide a natural stratification (cold) period that the seeds need to germinate.
Maintenance and Pruning
You should not prune this tree in spring or early summer because as with the other maple trees, it is prone to bleeding sap if cut too early in the year. There should not be much needed beyond making sure there is a central leader and taking out any dead, diseased, or damaged branches.
Pests & Diseases of the Big Leaf Maple
Possible pests include:
BeaversCarpenter worm (Prionoxystus robiniae)DeerElkNematodesPowderpost beetles (Various genera)Roundheaded borer (Synaphaeta guexi)
Possible diseases include:
Armillaria root rotButt rotsVerticillium wilt
