Finding the perfect maple syrup to go with breakfast and other meals isn't always easy. We're going to teach you about the different types of maple trees and the delicious organic maple syrup they produce.
Maple syrup first hit the record books somewhere around the 1500s. But maple trees have been around for over 100 million years. They date back to the age of dinosaurs, but we suspect there wasn't a lot of use for syrup back then. Today, over 100 different types of maple trees flower and blossom worldwide. Some of the modern maple trees are pretty similar to their prehistoric counterparts. We make our Brookfield Maple Products and homemade maple syrup from various trees, but if you're interested in making your own, check out the most common maple trees to "tap" below.
Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum)
Sugar maples can grow up to 120 feet tall. They have dark green leaves that split into five spiky lobes with a U-shaped base. And they have thin, upward-reaching branches. It can take over 40 years for a sugar maple to mature to a point where it produces syrup. Unlike store-bought, maple syrup has a nuanced taste with hints of caramel and other natural sweeteners.
Red Maple (Acer Rubrum)
Red Maples can stretch as high as 90 feet and have smooth, light green leaves. Plus, the leaves have three lobes and a V-shaped core. Red Maples can live up to 80 years and mature in as little as ten years in some cases. Organic red maple products have a much more pronounced maple flavor and have a darker coloring than sugar maple.
Box Elder (Acer Negundo)
Did you know that early Native American's used Box Elder trees to make sugar? The box elder is an integral part of its local food chain. Boxelders help feed deer, bugs, birds, and other animals. They have notably short trunks and only grow up to about 75 feet tall. They have a particularly sweet syrup, and in pristine environments, they can reach 100 years old.
Silver Maple (Acer Saccharinum)
Silver maples don't make the best-tasting maple products due largely to their low sugar content. The taste has been compared to corn syrup more than anything else. Check the leaves to avoid accidentally tapping a silver maple tree. Silver maples have five thin, long lobes compared to the short, thick shape seen on other maple leaves.
Try out our Brookfield Maple Products to add a little natural sweetness and flavor to your next dish!