Whether you have a city or a country home, a maple tree is a beautiful addition to any garden. Many people are unaware of how they benefit the planet. Multiple varieties and hues of these trees make for a more visually appealing environment. There are a wide variety of maple trees, each with distinct features.
Maple trees enhance nitrogen cycling in the soil surrounding them, which is vital to the environment. They also contribute to the beauty of the forest with their unique and colorful leaves. In addition, more than 130 distinct species of maple trees make great food for humans and animals alike.
It’s easy to understand why so many people grow these trees in their yards and nurseries, as they provide beautiful shade and show off vibrant fall colors. So come see if you want one of these poplars in your garden.
Impact Maple Trees Have On The Environment
Maple trees are located in many places worldwide and have many different species. Many studies have shown that maple trees help increase nitrogen cycling in the soil surrounding the trees.
The increase in nitrogen is good because plants need it to grow and thrive. Also, bacteria in the soil recycle nitrogen from the dead maple leaves that fall to the ground for the plants.
Maple trees help keep the forests and wildlife surrounding them healthy. However, a few changes occur in maple trees during the warm seasons.
For example, due to climate change, the trees produce less maple syrup during these seasons.
While the maple trees help by increasing the nitrogen in the soil, they also help feed all of the wildlife around them, as many animals use it for food, including chipmunks, deer, and moose.
They also provide cover from harsh weather, where the small animals can crawl into the holes, and the bigger ones stand under them for cover. Many animals also nest in these maple trees.
Benefits Of Maple Trees
There are many benefits to maple trees besides being great for the environment. They can grow just about anywhere you want them, including your suburban garden, or you can even plant them on your open farmland, where you can have as many of them as you wish.
Other benefits of maple trees include:
- Medicinal benefits: The trees have about 24 different antioxidants, which can fight inflammation and a few other things. You can find high levels of zinc and manganese in the syrup, and these two minerals have been shown to regulate metabolism and fortify immunity.
- Source of food: Most maple trees have edible leaves. You can deep fry the leaves, and many other recipes also include them. The syrup is also palatable, and it’s more healthy than regular sugar.
- They help sustain local wildlife: Many wildlife use maple trees as nesting locations or food sources. They also use the trees as shade when the hotter seasons come. Deer and squirrels are perfect examples of animals using these trees.
- Make instruments: Maple wood is a tonewood that is fabulous for carrying sound waves. As such, you can make many instruments from the wood of maple trees, including cellos and violins.
- Extended life spans – Maple trees can live over 300 years and grow in many climates.
- Support honeybee population: Honeybees can find many resources in maple trees. They are attracted to the flowers on the trees, and the flowers and the sap are excellent food sources.
Drawbacks Of Maple Trees
Unquestionably, maple trees are beautiful. However, as many benefits as mature maple trees have, you should consider the specific issues.
Growing maple trees has several potential drawbacks, including susceptibility to disease and invasiveness. Additionally, the potential problems include:
- Regionally confined: Certain places are ideal for growing maple trees, but not others. Make sure your garden is in the correct USDA growth zone before planting any plants.
- Susceptible to damage: During severe weather, maple trees are more likely to break branches and cause costly property damage and even the loss of life if the branches fall.
- They can have shallow roots: The root system problems can lead to cracking sidewalks or any other building near the tree. Roots below the soil’s surface can damage lawnmowers and stunt the growth of grass and other plants directly under the tree.
Maple Seeds And Leaves Are Edible
Yellow maple leaves have soft veins and are perfect for eating. Please ensure the leaves are healthy and not covered in tar or insects before you cook them.
A famous way to eat maple leaves is deep fried. You can add a bit of sugar to the batter if you want them sweet, but other than that, you can eat them any way you like.
You can eat the bark, leaves, and even the seeds of a maple tree. While you can cook the leaves in a dish, you can also eat them raw, but it’s an acquired taste, and many people don’t enjoy them this way.
You can also explore various types of maple leaves worldwide, including Japanese, red, silver, and sugar maple leaves.
Here’s a great video that shows you how the common maple tree is used as survival food.
Different Species Of Maple Trees
There are about 132 different species of maple trees. Each tree has unique characteristics and varies in color, making the forest around them much more enjoyable. You even have pretty rare maple species. However, most of them are quite popular.
Sugar maple is the most popular and valuable one of the trees. They have a yellowish color and can reach heights of 80 feet.
Next is the Japanese maple, which you won’t find in the US. It also has many sub-variations.
In addition, the striped maple doesn’t have a tail like the others, and it’s pretty short at only 15 feet high.
The rarest maple tree is the Acer Pentaphyllum which comes from China. Hardier and faster-growing than most maples, this one reaches a height of about 20 feet.
Autumn hues of orange and crimson are the color scheme of this maple tree.
Other maple trees include the Paperbark maple, Douglas maple, Bigtooth maple, Black maple, Coral bark maple, and many more.
Maple Trees Are A Symbol In Canada
As many people know, the maple leaf is a sign of Canada. However, people still wonder why they chose it as the national flag.
In eastern Canada, the maple tree is a perennial landmark thanks to its brilliant fall foliage.
In addition, the local Indigenous population highly prized the maple tree and its sweet sap for its many practical and cultural uses.
Although pioneers were profoundly affected by this beautiful tree, it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that they selected the maple leaf as the symbol of Canadian pride.
Since then, the maple leaf has become one of Canada’s most recognizable icons.
Final Word
Maple trees are truly remarkable and essential to the environment. They are known all over the world as a symbol of Canada.
As you’ve learned, they have several adaptations to ensure their survival and operation, including broad leaves for maximum sunlight absorption and the ability to capture and store carbon.
They provide striking autumn colors and valuable wood, improve air and water quality, reduce flooding and erosion, and even eat greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
In addition, they provide many things for wildlife, and you can also use them as food and medicine for humans. Maples have many properties that can help your health and make a good treat when prepared right.
So next time you see a maple tree, take a moment to appreciate all the ways it benefits the environment and our world.
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Sources
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2018/10/30/maple-trees-have-many-benefits/1824461002/