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Bigtooth Maple

Acer grandidentatum

Other common name(s):

Big-toothed Maple, Uvalde Bigtooth Maple, Southwestern Bigtooth Maple, Canyon Maple, Sabinal Maple, Western Sugar Maple

Family:

Sapindaceae (Soapberry Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau
Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas
Limestone Cut Plain
Balcones Canyonlands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

15
to
40
ft.

Spread

10
to
15
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Loam, Clay, Alkaline, Calcareous, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland, Wetland or Riparian

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow, Green

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Seeds, Forage, Nectar, Pollen, Flowers

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Slow growing, especially in the first few seasons. Needs well drained soil. Slightly more drought tolerant than eastern maples. Is a good small landscape tree. Brilliant yellow to red fall color. Benefits from 2″–4″ of mulch over and beyond the root zone. Do not allow mulch to contact tree trunk. Foliage tips may burn in hot summers. May require supplemental watering outside of its native range, but do not overwater. Prune only if necessary. Native habitat: moist soils of canyons in mountains and plateaus, in woodlands and riparian zones. Found mostly in the Edwards Plateau and Guadalupe Mountains but available in nurseries in other parts of Texas Propagation: seed.

Comments

Blooms March-April. The western relative of Sugar Maple. Grows as a large shrub to small tree depending on the region. Its bark is dark brown and scaly. The three to five lobed Leaves are dark green above, pale under with some fuzz. The scientific name referring to the Large Toothed leaf. Flowers are small, in hanging clusters, appearing before the leaves. The fruit is a two-winged samara.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ACGR3. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Acer+grandidentatum&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=22739&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 331. 6) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48., 7) Native and Adapted Landscape Plants, City of Austin and Texas A&M, 2014, 8) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=28760#null, 9) https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=241814, 10) https://extension.usu.edu/rangeplants/shrubs-and-trees/bigtooth-maple#:~:text=Uses%20and%20Management:,source%20of%20sugar%20and%20syrup., 11) https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/acegra/all.html
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About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason