Help Identifying Maple Leaves

[MeganH]

We have one Maple tree in our yard. I wanted to post pictures of the leaves and a site that is helpful with identifying the different Maple Trees. Most know the Red Maple Trees are very dangerous to have around horses and are toxic to them if eaten.

The tree we have has been said to be a Sugar Maple- not a Red Maple.

Can some of you take a look and see if you agree based on this site that I used to make sure it was in fact a Sugar Maple?

LINK--> Maple Trees

Here are some pictures of my leaves. They do match the Sugar Maple more then the Red Maple.





If the tree happened to be Red Maple I would have it removed.

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[RhineStone]

Here are two sites that we use for poisonous plant ID:

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/index.html

http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/poison/plants/ppredma.htm

 

[happy appy]

It is a Sugar Maple. A red maple has a more purple/burgundy leaf.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

From forestry class in highschool...the easiest way to tell a sugar maple from a red maple is the shape between the lobes, the sugar maple has a 'U' shape like the leaves in your photos (they can turn yellow/orange/reddish tinge in the fall). Red maple leaves have a 'V' shape between the lobes and are much sharper all the way around in points.

Yes, your leaves are definitely sugar maple and safe!

 

[MeganH]

Thank you, all!

This is a question many people may end up with! Hope this helps others, too!

 

[RhineStone]

It is a Sugar Maple. A red maple has a more purple/burgundy leaf.

Not necessarily. We have yellow Red Maple leaves this year. The ones around the paddock were cut down this fall. It is a shame, as we also have a Sugar Bush (produce maple syrup). It's a challenge having horses and maple trees at the same time!

 

[CharlesFamily]

It is so hard to tell with all of the maple leaves stuff. I just lost our beloved horse, Jinx, to what the vet suspects was red maple toxicity. We've had horses on this property for 30 years and never had problems - and there are no Red Maples in or around our pastures. I walked and walked that tree line. The only red maple I found close was in a neighbor's yard across the street - but it hadn't even started dropping leaves yet and the pasture he was in when he got sick is not even close enough that the leaves would've blown there had they been dropping. I am a nervous wreck, but I don't know what to do. I'm not even positive the neighbor's tree is a red maple - but it does have the red stems and the leaves do turn red. But thank you for posting this as I am trying to learn all I can now as this has never been an issue before!

Barbara