All about ash-leaved maple

Ash-leaved maple is an unpretentious tree widespread in Russia. Therefore, you can find it in most cities and towns.

This deciduous tree is also known as the American maple. The plant belongs to the sapindaceae family.

The tree is quite large. In height, it can grow up to 16-20 meters. The trunk diameter of an average maple is 40-50 centimeters. The crown of the tree is branched, but not symmetrical. Its root system is superficial. There is always a lot of young growth around mature trees. It grows very quickly.

Maple leaf shape is complex. The upper part is light green and the lower is silvery white. The surface of the leaves is smooth and the edges are sharp. Since the American maple is a dioecious plant, it can have either female or male flowers. The former are yellow-green in color, the latter are reddish. Maple blooms in early summer. It blooms for an average of two weeks. The fruits ripen at the end of summer. They remain on the tree until next spring.

Ash-leaved maple is native to North America. Moreover, it is now common in many countries of the world. This is not surprising, because earlier it was actively used for landscaping areas. It was planted along roads and in parks. This was due to the fact that the plant as a whole is unpretentious and grows well both in the city and beyond.

In Russia, American maple is very common. The tree tolerates drought well, so it grows even in hot regions.

There are several main varieties of ash-leaved maple. Each of them has its own characteristics.

This tree looks beautiful at any time of the year. It differs from others in leaves of a rich golden or bronze hue. The tree can reach a height of 6-8 meters. It grows very quickly. This maple is absolutely unpretentious, tolerates both drought and frosty winters well. Therefore, it can be planted in any region.

This is one of the smallest maple varieties. The plant has a shrub shape. Its average height is 4-5 meters. Such maples also grow quite quickly. Their crown is thick and dark. The trees have good frost resistance.

The decorative maple tree has a large crown, the leaves on it are pale green. Over time, they become covered with pink spots, which makes the tree look even more beautiful. Such a maple grows and develops very quickly. Therefore, having planted it on your site, you can count on the fact that in a couple of years a full-fledged tree will grow there.

You can plant American maple in both spring and fall. The habitat of a young plant can be anything, because maple is absolutely unpretentious. For planting, seedlings up to 100 centimeters high are used. They must be strong and healthy.

Saplings can be planted separately from other plants or formed hedges from trees. The distance between the trees should be within 2-3 meters.

Preparing a site for planting a maple is quite simple. To begin with, it must be cleaned of debris and old foliage. Then you need to dig a hole in which the seedling will be placed. It must be big enough.

Maple requires little maintenance. But just planting it and forgetting about it will not work. A young tree needs to be watered from time to time. This is usually done once or twice a month. When watering, you need to focus on the condition of the soil. It should be neither dry nor too damp. In hot regions, it is recommended to mulch the soil around the trunk. In this case, it will not dry out. You can use sawdust or dead leaves as mulch.

To prevent the plant from spreading too quickly over the site, the gardener will also have to regularly get rid of young growth. This is recommended in the fall. In addition, the crown of the plant should be pruned regularly. In the process, all dry and diseased branches are removed. Pruning in time can make the tree stronger and healthier.

In nature, maple propagates by seeds and shoots. At home, maple can be propagated in three ways.

It is best to harvest cuttings in the fall. They are cut from a young tree. It is best to use lateral annual shoots with large buds for maple propagation. They must be cut in the morning. Cut cuttings should be placed in a container with a solution that stimulates root growth. It will do them good.

Immediately after this, the shoots must be placed in a container with a substrate. Green cuttings should root well. Only after that you can start disembarking them.

This breeding method for maple is quite complex. The process of growing a young tree takes a long time. The first thing gardeners do is harvest the seeds. They are harvested in the fall and then dried thoroughly. After that, the seeds are planted in containers with fertile soil. As soon as a sprout appears there, it should be transplanted into a deeper container.

The easiest and most effective way to propagate maple is to use root shoots. It is worth digging up green seedlings in the spring. The dug out plant can be immediately replanted to a new location. After transplanting it must be well watered. Shoots take root very quickly.

The normal growth and development of the American maple tree can be hindered by pests. This tree is often attacked by whiteflies, weevils, walnut worms, as well as caterpillars of various butterflies. You can protect the plant from these pests by timely treating it with insecticides.

A disease such as coral spotting is also a danger to maple. It can be recognized by the red rash that appears on the bark of the tree.

This disease spreads very quickly. It affects not only maple, but also other trees and shrubs growing in the garden. It is impossible to cure such a disease. Therefore, the shoots affected by it must be cut off and destroyed.

It is useful to grow maple in your area. The tree looks majestic and beautiful. Its bark, seeds and juice have healing properties, and wood is actively used in furniture and construction.

The sap of this tree is good for the human body. This applies to both fresh and processed food. It contains a large amount of sucrose and nutrients. Juice harvesting usually begins in March. You can collect it within 12-20 days. To do this, you need to choose the right tree. Its trunk should be no thinner than 20 centimeters. It is necessary to make a hole in it with a drill or a sharp knife. It should not be too deep, because the juice flows directly under the bark.

A short tube must be inserted into the hole. You need to put a bucket or any other container under it. The collected juice can be preserved or thickened to a syrup. Fresh product is stored only in the refrigerator. Usually it is left there for 2-3 days.

Maple wood can not only be used for firewood, but can also be used to create furniture or various decorative items. It is lightweight and has a long-lasting maple scent. The color of the wood is light. It lends itself well to processing. Therefore, it can be covered with wood stain, varnish or paint. The surface of finished products made from this wood can also be decorated with carvings.

A cough infusion is made from maple seeds. For its preparation, 2 teaspoons of seeds are used, which are poured into 400 ml of boiling water. The resulting product is infused for half an hour. It is recommended to use it in the morning and in the evening.

Maple bark tea can be used to combat diarrhea. He helps to deal with this problem very quickly.

Maple trees are often used to decorate the site. They can be planted individually or form a beautiful hedge out of them. American maple will look great next to a gazebo or pond. The crown of a tree, planted alone, is large and spreading.

Despite the fact that this plant is quite beautiful and useful, many gardeners are looking for a way to get rid of it. This woody weed has many disadvantages.

1. Pollen from trees with male flowers is a strong allergen.
2. Freshly cut shoots and young foliage have an unpleasant odor.
3. Fallen leaves saturate the soil with substances that inhibit the growth of other trees and shrubs. Therefore, maple is dangerous for most of its neighbors.
4. The tree needs regular pruning. Otherwise, its crown is covered with chaotically growing branches.
5. The branches of this tree are rather fragile. Therefore, they often break off during a thunderstorm or from strong gusts of wind.
6. The tree multiplies very quickly. If you miss the moment, it will be very difficult to deal with undergrowth and young trees.

There are several ways to remove ash-leaved maple from your plot or garden.

This method of dealing with trees and shoots is suitable for owners of small areas. In this way, you can remove plants located both in the garden and in the garden or on the border of the yard.

The trunk of the tree is usually cut down neatly. The rest of the maple is dug in, and its roots are neatly chopped off with an ax. The taproot is destroyed by actively swinging the stump trunk. To make it easier to dig, the soil around you can be washed out using a strong pressure of water.

This method of dealing with maple is also quite effective. To remove the tree growing in the area, you can use preparations based on glyphosate. The most popular herbicide that is suitable for treating maple stumps is Roundup.

You can also destroy the old maple stump forever using folk remedies. Having made several holes in its surface, it is necessary to pour urea, table salt or saltpeter inside. These foods destroy the wood from the inside out. This has been happening for several years.