Maple is a plant of Aceraceae.

Maple, a tree or shrub, has sparse evergreen leaves. There are many scales arranged in imbricate shape in winter buds, and only 2 or 4 opposite scales are sparse or bare. Leaves opposite, petiolate, sessile, simple, sparsely pinnate or palmately compound, undivided or palmately divided. Inflorescence corymbose, spicate or cymose, born in several terminal buds or lateral buds of leafy branches; There are often leaves in the lower part of inflorescence, which are sparse and leafless. The leaves grow before or at the same time, and are sparse after flowering. The flowers are small, green or yellowish green, sparse purple or red, neat, bisexual, heterozygous or unisexual, and the male flowers are the same plant or different plants; Sepals 5 or 4, imbricate; Petals 5 or 4; Disk ring-shaped or mattress-shaped or cracked; Born inside or outside stamens; Stamens 4 to 12, usually 8; The ovary is superior, 2-loculed, the style is only 2-lobed at the base, most of them are sparse, and the stigma is often reversed; Ovary has 2 ovules per locule, and only/kloc-0 ovules per locule develop, erect or inverted. Fruit nuts often have wings, also known as samara; Seed coat is thin, membranous, embryo inverted, cotyledons flat, folded or rolled.

The flowering period of maple is April-May, and the fruiting period is 9-65438+ 10.

It can be planted in most areas of our country. It is distributed all over the country, mainly in the Yangtze River basin and its southern provinces.

The tree has beautiful tree posture and beautiful leaf shape, and the autumn leaves gradually turn red or yellow, as well as blue and purple. It is a famous autumn leaf tree. It can be used as a shade tree, a street tree or a companion tree in a landscape garden. Other autumn foliage trees or evergreen trees can be set against each other to add the beauty of autumn scenery color.

Maple leaves not only have ornamental value, but also have sugar-making value, especially sugar maple and black maple, which are excellent raw materials for boiling syrup. The sugar content of maple juice is 0.5% ~ 7%, as high as 10%. A tree 15 years old can continuously produce sugar for more than 50 years every year.

Maple is used in building materials or equipment materials, musical instruments materials, sculpture materials, etc. Its wood is one of high-grade wood. Yellow or white, although the annual rings can be distinguished, sapwood and central part are difficult to distinguish because of the same color. Wood with moderate weight, elasticity, toughness and firmness is not easy to shrink. Strong buckling resistance. The wood of this tree has been used only for internal expansion projects and furniture. Its surface processing is easy, but polishing, pickling and coloring are difficult. Drawing is also easy.

Maple roots have the function of expelling wind; Leaves have the function of expelling wind, removing dampness and promoting qi circulation; Fruit has the function of expelling wind, dredging collaterals and benefiting water.

Maple symbolizes nobility, friendship and yearning.