Description

Maples are a cultural keystone species for Haudenoaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. They are considered the “leader of the trees,” because they are the first to awake when their sap begins to run in the wintertime. Maple sap as a tonic, and maple sugar and syrup as a sweetener, all figure prominently in Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe stories. The processes of gathering and boiling sap in the late wintertime provides fellowship and company during a time of year when people may otherwise be more isolated. “Hard” maples are Red and Sugar Maples, and they provide materials for carving corn bread and corn soup spoons, as they can rest in liquids for long periods of time without cracking; they are also timber for housing and other structures. Silver maple is a soft maple that can be used to make a dye.

Conservation Status

S5 (Secure) in Ontario and New York

Conservation Status

S5 (Secure) in Ontario and New York

Conservation Status

 In Ontario and New York S5 (Secure); in Québec S3 (Vulnerable)