# Maple Tree: Sugar vs. Silver



## Cody (May 14, 2018)

In the past few years, I've planted three types of Maple trees around the house. One's a Crimson, one an Autumn Blaze, and the other a Fire something. I had to remove two Birch trees due to Birch Bore a year apart, and would like to plant either a Sugar or Silver maple in the front yard to replace them. The Silver's that I'm able to get right now are rather well established as far as leaf volume goes and that is rather appealing. The issue that I'm seeing is the tree is going to be planted around 14-15' away from the foundation/basement walls. While I doubt I have issues with the root system in my lifetime, I don't want to pass that issue on to someone else either. Is this something I should be worried about, or is said distance going to be alright?


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## buzz sawyer (May 14, 2018)

14' - 15' sounds way too close for a silver maple or anything bigger than a small ornamental - imo.


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## hitoppa (May 17, 2018)

ditto...don't plant a Silver maple that close (no large growing tree that close and if you plant out farther, plant the Autumn blaze which is a Silver maple cultivar, has great fall color unlike the standard Silv. maple and stays much tighter in canopy thus less storm damage. Great tree with interesting leaf shape and tree of the year a few years ago.


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## Marine5068 (May 17, 2018)

I just cut away trees that were too close to my house. I don't like any large trees closer than 50 feet from the place.
Too much risk of them dropping on top of the roof.
When it comes to planting near the house, I would make sure you are at least well past the canopy spread of any large tree when placing on your property.


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## Bobby Kirbos (May 17, 2018)

Silver maple less than 20' from the house --- not a good idea.

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/the-silver-maple-project.320115/


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## Cody (May 17, 2018)

Bobby Kirbos said:


> Silver maple less than 20' from the house --- not a good idea.
> 
> https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/the-silver-maple-project.320115/



I actually viewed that thread in researching Silver Maple's. I just can't imagine this tree ever growing that large in my lifetime, and it will be maintained every year. It's probably all of 8' tall tree I'll be planting. I wish I could find a well established Crimson, I'm falling in love with the one we planted in 2016.

I really don't want to go on a rant here, but I really wish people understood that yard tree's need attention periodically.


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## Marine5068 (May 18, 2018)

Cody said:


> I actually viewed that thread in researching Silver Maple's. I just can't imagine this tree ever growing that large in my lifetime, and it will be maintained every year. It's probably all of 8' tall tree I'll be planting. I wish I could find a well established Crimson, I'm falling in love with the one we planted in 2016.
> 
> I really don't want to go on a rant here, but I really wish people understood that yard tree's need attention periodically.


They do grow very big.
We cut one down a few years back and it was a monster.


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## Bobby Kirbos (May 18, 2018)

Cody said:


> I actually viewed that thread in researching Silver Maple's. I just can't imagine this tree ever growing that large in my lifetime, and it will be maintained every year. It's probably all of 8' tall tree I'll be planting. I wish I could find a well established Crimson, I'm falling in love with the one we planted in 2016.
> 
> I really don't want to go on a rant here, *but I really wish people understood that yard tree's need attention periodically*.



Not a rant. I totally agree. In the case of the maple that I took down - the house belonged to my mother/father-in-law. My wife's sister and her husband bought the place from the parents about 4 or 5 years ago. Landscaping has been a constant argument with their mom over the years, even before they bought the house. Their mom doesn't understand that after some time the plants outgrow the space and need to be replaced with new plants that suit the space better. I think this was the case with the maple that we took down. It was quite large 13 years ago when I trimmed off some of the lower branches that were either dead or were forehead catchers. In reality, it probably should have been taken down then, but the mother-in-law....


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## sgbotsford (Jun 8, 2018)

Silver maple grow fast, and can get quite large. They are also water pigs, so if you have clay subsoils they will suck the clay dry in dry summers. The shrinkage/expansion of the clay is often what cracks foundations. Recommended for parks and estates. Usually get too big for a residential yard.

They also have a rep for weak branch connections, although no worse than Manitoba Maple (box elder) 

I don't get really concerned about big trees falling on the roof. I did a google image search for such, and while falling trees damage roofs, I only saw one where I wouldn't want to be in that room. And that one was a big tree felled by a hurricane. This is what insurance is for.

My rule of thumb: Root plate trees (no major tap roots -- spruce and poplar come to mind) Avoid having the tree overhanging the house. Tap root trees (oak, sugar maple) 1.5 times that.

If the OP is in love with maples, I'd suggest a tree form amur maple, or Hot Wings tartarian maple.

Also many maples are subject to aphids, which excrete sticky honey-dew, which then gets sooty mold. Do not plant maples where they can drip on the deck, or on the Lambourgini.


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## buzz sawyer (Jun 8, 2018)

I agree that all yard trees need periodic attention but too often they don't get it and it gets too big. Maybe pollarding is a solution?


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## sgbotsford (Nov 27, 2018)

Marine5068 said:


> I just cut away trees that were too close to my house. I don't like any large trees closer than 50 feet from the place.
> Too much risk of them dropping on top of the roof.
> When it comes to planting near the house, I would make sure you are at least well past the canopy spread of any large tree when placing on your property.



That what insurance is for. Google for trees that land on houses and grovel through the images. It takes a *really* big tree to do serious house damage. Most cases are replace a few trusses, and redo a section of roof. I have several 100 foot tall balsam poplar that are closer than 50 feet. I watch them, and as they start showing senescence in the crown they come down for firewood.

That said: Silver Maple has a rep for dropping big branches in storms.

If you are worried about size, try amur maple "ruby slippers" or tatarian maple "hot wings" They get only about 25 feet tall. Even if they did fall, they are unlikely to do more than remove your gutters.

There are a bunch of freeman maples (Red maple x Silver maple) that have nice fall colour. Pure red maples have problems with chlorosis on alkali or even neutral pH soils. Sugar maple is slower growing, is more tolerant of pH but will get very large with time (>60 feet high and wide)


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