Bigtooth Maple, Rocky Mountain Sugar Maple (Acer grandidentatum), Pacific northwest native tree

Acer grandidentatum (Bigtooth Maple, Rocky Mountain Sugar Maple)

Kingdom	:	Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom	:	Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision	:	Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division	:	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class	:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass	:	Rosidae
Order	:	Sapindales
Family	:	Aceraceae – Maple family
Genus	:	Acer L. – maple
Species	:	Acer grandidentatum Nutt. – bigtooth maple

This western version of the beloved Sugar Maple has sweet edible sap that runs in colder regions much like that of its Eastern cousin.

While it can reach 50’, it will most likely remain 20-30’ tall at maturity and be nearly as wide.

The dark green leaves have 3-5 lobes and very blunt teeth, thus giving it the name Bigtooth Maple.

It can be found growing at low desert elevations, along well-drained stream banks, and even in high mountain regions, proving this tree’s versatility.

This North American native can be grown most anywhere in USDA zones 3-10 with minimal care.

As with many deciduous maples, this one is known for its vibrant yellow, orange, and red Fall leaf color.

This is a wonderful single or multi-stemmed tree for the smaller garden or mass plantings along banks and hillsides.

For a short comparison of northwest native maples and more photos, click here.

Photo, above left, credit: Wing-ChiPoon; Photo, above right, credit:4th of July Canyon New Mexico

Photo above left 4th of July Canyon New Mexico. Photo above right from Scott Catron.

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