![]() ![]() Herbaceous associates include maidenhair fern, western swordfern, ladyfern, red woodsorrel, false lily-of-the-valley, prince’s-pine, spreading sweetroot, and twinflower.īigleaf maple also supports abundant epiphytic growth on branches and boles in moist climates. Common shrub and herb associates include serviceberry, salal, red huckleberry, devil’s-club, Pacific rhododendron, thimbleberry, salmonberry, vine maple, and hazel. Its most common association are Douglas-fir, grand-fir, red alder, Sitka spruce, western redcedar, western hemlock, Pacific dogwood, and Pacific madrone. The greatest abundance of bigleaf maple is in the foothills of the Cascade and Coast ranges. Removal of overstory trees can stimulate rapid growth on bigleaf maple in the understory.īigleaf maple is commonly found in association with almost all other tree species in its range. Basal sprouts stimulated by cutting or burning can dominate other vegetation in the new stand. The abundance of bigleaf maple also increases after disturbance in stands with an established maple component. On drier upland sites, bigleaf maple can replace oaks and Pacific madrone in the absence of significant disturbance. It can follow willow and alder in riparian succession. It also has the capacity to grow rapidly and maintain dominance under favorable conditions in the open sun.īigleaf maple increases in abundance during intermediate to late stages of succession. Maple in the understory can quickly respond to release when openings are created in the overstory. It is quite tolerant and commonly establishes in forest understories, where it can persist for long periods. Biology and Managementīigleaf maple occurs as a dominant, codominant, or intermediate tree in even- or uneven-aged stands. About 18 percent of the total hardwood volume in the Pacific Northwest is bigleaf maple. Maple is most abundant in the Puget Sound region of Washington and the Northwest region of Oregon. Substantial volumes of bigleaf maple occur in every subregion of the Northwest ( Appendix 1, Table 1). It usually grows from near the Pacific Ocean to a maximum of 186 miles inland. The root system of bigleaf maple is shallow and spreading on wet or shallow soils.īigleaf maple is native to the Pacific Northwest at low to middle elevations from San Diego to Vancouver Island (lat 33 to 51°N). Open-grown trees have broad, rounded crowns on short, branching boles. In forest stands, maples often develop clear (50 to 70 percent of total height), well-formed stems with narrow crowns. Height growth becomes negligible after 50 to 70 years. Bigleaf maple is moderately long-lived some individuals may reach 300 years of age. Mature bigleaf maple trees range from 50 to 100 ft in height ( 160 ft maximum) and 12 to 36 in. It is the only western maple that reaches commercial size, yet its potential as a commercial species has not been fully recognized. ![]() ![]() Oregon State University, Forest Research Laboratory General Characteristicsīigleaf maple is second to red alder among native hardwood species in abundance and in commercial importance in the Pacific Northwest. This information was originally published in Hardwoods of the Pacific Northwest, S.S. Oregon Producers and Users of Bigleaf Maple.This entry was posted in Broadleaved Trees on by habitatdana.Oregon maple, large-leaf maple, broadleaf maple Native American Ethnobotany, University of Michigan, Dearborn Nat ive Plants Network, Propagation Protocol Database Virginia Tech ID Fact Sheet + Landowner Fact Sheet USDA Forest Service-Fire Effects Information System WTU Herbarium Image Collection, Plants of Washington, Burke MuseumĮ-Flora BC, Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia Deer and small mammals eat seedlings and saplings. Flower clusters are often found on the ground after they have been nibbled on by squirrels. Use by Wildlife: The seeds, buds and flowers of Big-Leaf Maple are a favorite food of many small mammals and birds. Commercially, the wood is mostly used for making veneers for furniture, but is also used for musical instruments and interior paneling. The greenish-yellow flower clusters make a tasty garnish for salads. Maple syrup can be made by boiling down the sap. The wood was extremely popular for carving both artwork and useful items such as dishes and paddles. The leaves were used for containers or in cooking pits. Use by people: Natives found this tree very useful. Seeds and seedlings need to be protected from rodents, slugs and other, herbivores. The seeds may also be soaked for 24 hours or warm stratified for 1-2 months, then cold stratified at 40✯ (4✬) for 2-6 months. Germination occurs in late winter or spring. They are best sown as soon as they are ripe outside or in a cold frame.
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