Florida maple
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Acer saccharum subsp. floridanum
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Aceraceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Specimen, shade, or street tree with showy fall colors. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida. |
Description: |
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Deciduous tree 30-40 feet tall with three or five lobed leaves turning bright yellow or muted orange in the fall. Whitish bark. |
Height: |
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Typically 25-50 feet in height with a 25-45 feet spread; to 83 feet in Florida. Taller than broad.
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Growth Rate: |
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Fast |
Range: |
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Southeastern United States south to Polk County, where collected once by H.H. Hume in 1936 (s.n. FLAS). |
Habitats: |
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Moist uplands, Mesic hammocks. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Light shade to shade. |
Flower Color: |
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Greenish yellow |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Inconspicuous. |
Flowering Season: |
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Early spring. |
Fruit: |
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Two-winged samara |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Provides significant food and cover for birds and other wildlife. Attracts pollinators. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Comments: |
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We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page. |
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