Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum L.)
Moosewood, Moose Maple
Érable de Pennsylvanie
Scientific Name: Acer pensylvanicum
Common Names: Striped Maple, Moosewood, Moose Maple
Family: Sapindaceae (Soapberry family)
Native Range: Eastern North America, from Ontario to the Maritime provinces, and south into the Appalachian Mountains.
Introduced Range: Occasionally planted as an ornamental tree in cooler regions.
Canadian Plant Hardiness Zones: Zones CA2, NA3

Size & Growth
Typical Height: 5-10 m
Maximum Recorded Height: 15.5m (51 feet with a 43 inch trunk... Grayson, Virginia)
Trunk Diameter: ~15-25 cm
Growth Rate: Slow to medium
Typical Lifespan: 80-100 years
Record Age: ~100 years
Leaves: Large (10-16 cm) often broader than long, 3 shallow forward-pointing lobes.. double-toothed edges pale yellow-green on both surfaces, turning bright yellow in fall.
Buds: Terminal bud is stalked, elongated ~10 mm, with 2 visible scales (single pair) that meet at the edges. Hairless, lateral buds smaller.
Twigs: Smooth, reddish-brown to greenish, hairless, and shiny, relatively stout for a maple.
Bark: Smooth and greenish with distinctive white vertical stripes when young; turns greenish-brown with darker stripes as it matures.
The vertical lines resemble that of crinkle cookies if you're familiar, almost as though the bark has been pulled revealing a white interior. Like how the powdered sugar on a cookie creates cracks...except uniform and vertical.
Flowers: Bell-shaped, greenish-yellow, appearing in drooping terminal clusters after leaf development; trees may alternate between producing pollen and seed flowers in different years.
Fruits: Samaras with wings 25-30 mm long, forming a ~90° angle; seedcases are slightly indented on one side and mature in autumn.

Reproduction & Life Cycle
Seed Maturity: Seeds mature in autumn.
Reproductive Cycle: Alternates between producing pollen and seed flowers in different years.
Pollination Method: Primarily insect-pollinated.
Seed Dispersal Mechanism: Wind-dispersed. Birds and mammals disperse them as well by consuming and depositing the seeds elsewhere (poop).
Seed Dormancy Requirements: Requires cold stratification for germination.

Environmental Preferences
Soil Preferences: Prefers well-drained, cool, moist soils.
Water Needs: Moderate to high moisture requirements.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires consistent moisture.
Flood Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate prolonged flooding.
Shade Tolerance: Very high; thrives in dense forest understories.
Root System Type: Shallow, wide-spreading root system.
Climate Adaptability: Best suited to cool, temperate, and humid climates.

Physical & Chemical Properties
Wood Density: Low; soft and lightweight.
Strength Rating: Weak; not commercially valued for timber.
Decay Resistance: Low; susceptible to rot and decay.
Fire Resistance: Low; thin bark and shallow roots make it vulnerable to fire.
Fire Regeneration Ability: Poor; rarely regenerates after fire disturbance.

Ecological Role & Interactions
Wildlife Value: Highly favored by moose and deer for its leaves and young shoots; provides shelter for small mammals and birds.
Companion Species:
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
American beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis).
Invasive Status: Not considered invasive.
Threats: Over-browsing by deer and moose, habitat fragmentation, and climate change effects.
Traditional Uses: Indigenous groups used the inner bark for medicinal purposes and sometimes as a dye.
Modern Uses: Occasionally planted as an ornamental tree for its striking striped bark.
Symbolism/Mythology: Sometimes associated with moose due to its preference as a food source, hence the name "moosewood."

Unique Features: The only native North American maple with distinctive striped bark.
Interesting Historical Facts: Early settlers sometimes used striped maple bark for poultices and herbal remedies.
Rare/Endangered Varieties: No known rare subspecies, but populations can be affected by excessive deer browsing.