Native Americans have tapped these trees for centuries, and although the sugar content and sap flow are less than those from sugar maples, these trees can still provide a commercially viable source of syrup for the Pacific Coast.Ĭanyon maple, big tooth maple ( Acer grandidentatum) Research suggests that boxelders may yield only half the syrup of typical sugar maples.īigleaf maple is the main species of maple growing between central California and British Columbia. They’re not recommended as a first choice for sugar production, although maple producers in the Canadian prairies rely almost exclusively on boxelders for their sap. They are not as sweet as sugar maples, yet can be tapped regardless.Īlso known as Manitoba maple, boxelders can be found growing in urban areas and along roadsides.

Native to Europe, Norway maples are now considered invasive throughout much of the United Sates. Like red maples, silver maples bud out earlier in the spring and have a lower sugar content than sugar maples (1.7% compared to 2.0%). The trees bud out earlier in the spring, which may reduce syrup quality near the end of sugaring season. Sap yields from red maples are generally lower than those from sugar maples, although some tapping operations utilize only red maples. Black maples tend to have leaves with three major lobes, while leaves from sugar maples have five lobes. The trees closely resemble sugar maples and can be distinguished by their leaves. Its sugar content is approximately 2.0%.īlack maples produce as much sweet sap as sugar maples. The sugar maple yields the highest volume and concentration of sap, making it a superior candidate for tapping.

Rather, I would like to provide a list of various trees (maples, birches, walnuts, etc.) that you can tap successfully to yield wonderful, sugary products. If you are unfamiliar with the process, there are a variety of great websites, videos, and books to guide you. In this post, I won’t be discussing the methods involved in tapping for sugar production. Even better, many other trees from other genera can be tapped to extract sap, which ultimately can be turned into delicious syrup. Most people associate syrup with the maple tree, and although much of today’s syrup does originate from the sugar maple, all species of maple can be tapped. This process, passed on from the Native Americans to the early settlers, is still quite popular today, and is responsible for one of the few wild foods that can be purchased commercially in most supermarkets. Special Offer: Save Up To 50% On J5 Tactical Flashlights Today! Only on Īs winter wanes and spring approaches, wild foodists all across North America tap into the time-honored tradition of sugar production – mainly, the transformation of maple tree sap into maple syrup and sugar.

What types of maple trees produce syrup