Silver Maple - Acer saccharinum

Acer is Latin, meaning sharp; saccharinum is from the Greek sakcharon and was probably derived from the Malay word for the sweet juice of the sugarcane. At one time middle western farmers tapped the silver maple for its sugar and got a much finer grade than is yielded by the sugar maple.

Today, the amount of flow is too small to compete commercially. The silver maple, locally known as “soft maple” is a native of the eastern states from New Brunswick, Canada, south to Florida and west into Kansas and Nebraska. It is found in moist, acid, lowland soils along rivers The local vernacular “soft maple” is fitting because it is subject to storm breakage. Notice the severe pruning of the marked specimen as well as others of its type along the way. The severe pruning was needed to remove broken limbs from the occasional late spring and early fall snows which catch this species in full leaf and very vulnerable to breakage.

Ironically, this species is one of the most widely sold shade trees in Colorado despite its brittleness and preference for acid, rather than our alkaline soils. The rapid growth rate is its only real merit for Colorado but this fast growth contributes to its “soft” and brittle characteristics. Because of these high maintenance factors, cities such as Denver have banned its use in new plantings along streets.

The tree is easily identified in summer by the palmately-lobed leaves that tend to be silvery on the lower surface. In winter it is distinct in the light gray bark that seems loosely attached in oblong strips. It is one of the first large trees to flower. The flower buds, reddish in color and globe-shaped, will begin to swell and open as early as mid-February.

Other Denver locations

Extensively planted throughout the Denver area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Maple