Acer glabrum - Hardwood - Douglas Maple, Rocky Mountain Maple Page

The Acer glabrum Douglas Maple, also known as the Rocky Mountain Maple, is a beautiful deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 ft in height. In April, it produces small yellowish-green flowers that are followed by winged seeds that ripen in September. The tree is native to the mountains that stretch from Alaska to California and offers stunning yellow fall color. The leaves of the tree can be 2-10cm wide, with three-lobed leaves that occasionally have deep lobes that divide into three leaflets. The Acer glabrum is often found growing with Ponderosa Pine, Douglas-fir, and Quaking Aspen in the Rocky Mountains. The tree has traditional medicinal uses among some Plateau Indian tribes, who drink an infusion of its leaves to treat diarrhea. Rocky Mountain maple provides hiding cover for big game animals, small mammals, and birds in early to mid-stages of growth. Restoration ecologists and land managers use prescribed fire to maintain the natural fire regime, as this species is fire dependent. The tree's rapid regeneration and wind-dispersed seeds quickly revegetate burned areas and facilitate the return of the prefire community. Overall, the Acer glabrum Douglas Maple is a stunning tree that has a variety of uses and is essential to many ecosystems in the western United States.