Norway Maple vs Sugar Maple Tree: What’s the Difference?

When adding a new tree to your backyard, there’s much to consider. How much space will it take up? How much shade will it cast? Is it deciduous or evergreen? Initially, how much maintenance will it need, and how much maintenance will it require for years after that — especially in the fall? Maple trees, especially, can be a beloved addition to one’s landscape. But not all maple trees are the same. Before choosing one, you should know how to distinguish between Norway maple vs sugar maple.

Here’s what to keep in mind about these two types of maple trees, including why you wouldn’t want to add a Norway maple to your backyard.

Sugar Maple Tree Facts

The sugar maple tree is native to New England, the midwestern United States, and southeastern Canada. Also referred to as hard white or rock maple, they’re beloved for their fiery fall color ranging from yellow and orange to red. They’re so beloved, in fact, that some states have even selected the sugar maple as the official state tree: New York, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Vermont. Sugar maple trees provide valuable shelter and sustenance for wildlife, including many backyard birds and pollinators.

Norway Maple Tree Facts

While sugar maple trees are a favorite throughout much of the United States, Norway maples are not. Invasive and posing a notable threat to native plants, Norway maple trees hail from Europe and western Asia. They become popular during the 1970s and ‘80s, when elm trees suffered significantly from Dutch Elm Disease. The large quantity of seeds and shade this tree produces means it can spread aggressively and decimate plant diversity in forests and landscapes.

Find out why you need an oak tree in your backyard.

Sugar Maple vs Norway Maple

Fortunately for those looking to add a new tree (or get rid of an invasive one), it’s not too difficult to tell a Norway maple vs sugar maple.

The easiest way might be to pluck a leaf and rip through it — sugar maples have clear sap, while Norway maple sap is milky white. Sugar maple leaves feature only five lobes, and lobes at the base of the leaf are less wide. Norway maple leaves, on the other hand, vary from five to seven lobes. Those near the stem are as wide as the others. Norway maple buds are terminal and broad with rounded tips. Sugar maples’ buds are narrow and brown with sharply pointed tips.

If you’re looking at the tree in the fall, it might be possible to distinguish these trees by leaf color. Sugar maple leaves turn yellow, red, and orange as weather cools, while Norway maple leaves turn yellow without many additional shades.

As a reminder, if you’re ever unsure of a plant—whether its identity is a mystery or you don’t know how to take care of it—contact your local university extension office. Experts will gladly lend a hand. To find yours, search online for your state or county and “extension office.”

Next, learn how to grow a river birch tree.

Sources

• Arbor Day Foundation, “Sugar Maple“
• Brandywine Conservancy, “Invasive Species Spotlight: Norway Maple“