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Writer's pictureKimberly Simmen

Native Plant of the Week: Striped Maple

Family: Aceraceae


Name: Acer pensylvanicum - Striped Maple or Snakebark Maple or Goosefoot Maple


Bloom Time: April - May


Flower: Gold/Yellow


Soil Condition: Dry to Moist


Light: Partial Shade to Full Shade


Height: 15-25' tall by 12-20' wide


Native Range: Eastern United States including Long Island


Zone: 3 - 7

Photos: Bark (KMS Native Plants), Foliage (KMS Native Plants, Samaras (Homer Edward Price, CC BY 2.0), Flower (JK Marlow)


Striped Maple is a great understory tree that tolerates deep shade. The young bark is striped giving it its common name (see picture above). It is also known as goosefoot maple due to the shape of its leaves. The flowers, although yellow-green, are quite showy as are the samaras (aka poly noses). The fall color is yellow.


Maintenance: None


Benefits: Nectar source, early bloomer for our native pollinators


Fun Facts: Indigenous people use it to treat a variety of ailments including bronchial and kidney troubles, colds, and coughs. The soft wood of the twigs may be used to make a whistle.


Companion Plants: Polygonatum biflorum - False Solomon's Seal, Eurybia divaricata - White Wood Aster, Asarum canadense - Wild Ginger


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