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| This week we are taking a look at the leaves and fruits of a chalk maple (Acer leucoderme). Our tree of the week is pictured center, next to the gravel path. It's growing in a shady spot, on a gradual slope along with four other native maples. |
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| This chalk maple is 23 years old. In 1995, Professor Ed Leuck collected seeds from its parent, a chalk maple growing in Shreveport, located on Albany Avenue. The seeds successfully germinated, resulting in 17 plantings in the arboretum. Six trees remain after the workings of vandalism, competition and drought. This particular specimen was planted for Earth Day 2000. |
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| Chalk maples, like our other native maples, are marvelous shade trees. |
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| The trunk is still quite small after 23 years of growth. The bark is light gray and smooth. |
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| Chalk maple twig with leaves and fruit |
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| Chalk maple leaves are simple, palmately lobed, and dark-green above. Underneath, leaves are light-green and a little fuzzy to the touch. These two leaves measure 2¼ inches wide. |
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| This leaf is a little larger, measuring 2¾ inches wide. |
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| It's more than 2½ inches long. Also, note the long petiole. |
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| Chalk maples have winged fruits. Each seed has a wing, and two seeds are fused together, forming a pair. |
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| The samara pair measures 1¼ inches wide. These fruits resemble those of the southern sugar maple, but the chalk maple samaras are smaller. |
You can find more images of the arboretum's chalk maples here and here.
Compare this species with our southern sugar maple (Acer barbatum). You can find comparable photos here.
