What kind of tree is this?

Does anyone recognize this tree? I was hiking in Black Brook watershed below Mount Martha in NH near Rt 302 and Zealand Road. I was in an area that has been heavily logged and had much new growth congenial to moose browsing. I saw a lot of this tree growing in the logged area. The main trunk has reddish and gray colored stripes. The opposite branches are reddish in color.

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Besides being good eating, the tree also happens to be popular for use by moose for antler rubs. I saw many of them with bark rubbed off like this.

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That is striped maple. It is a fast growing maple that is the bane of trail maintainers (because it grows like a weed), but a boon to moose who, as you see, enjoy it's benifits.

Brian

NewHampshire said:

That is striped maple. It is a fast growing maple that is the bane of trail maintainers (because it grows like a weed), but a boon to moose who, as you see, enjoy it's benifits.

Brian

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Also, known as "moosewood."

It is also known as "moose maple" ... and "hunter's helper" as its leaves, like those of the hobblebush, are large and strong enough to be used as toilet "paper".

Another interesting fact is that it has photosynthetic bark - aka it produces food for the plant as well as protects it.

I'm not so sure about that. I don't think so Guys

I've cut down millions of striped maple too doing trail work. The fact that the bark is not predominantly greem makes me doubt that it is Acer Pennsylvanica. See link below:

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?recNum=TS0125

Besides Striped Maple is mainly an understory tree. Here it is open field early succession type plant.

It is indeed striped maple. The bark often (usually, actually) has that striped (hence the name) pattern with some being light green or white and some being reddish brown. The bark does sometimes appear almost entirely green, particularly on the youngest stems.

It grows lots of places but most trail maintainers see it on trails under canopies of other species

If you want to know more, consult the Bible.

spencer said:

It is indeed striped maple. The bark often (usually, actually) has that striped (hence the name) pattern with some being light green or white and some being reddish brown. The bark does sometimes appear almost entirely green, particularly on the youngest stems.

It grows lots of places but most trail maintainers see it on trails under canopies of other species

If you want to know more, consult the Bible.

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Methinks we doth have a silviculturist in our midst. Thanks for the link to the Holy Writ!

It considered invasive at our Scout Camp in Naples NY. They seem to grow everywhere and crowd out other trees. There have been many a service projects at camp cutting them down.

hikingmaineac said:

It is also known as "moose maple" ... and "hunter's helper" as its leaves, like those of the hobblebush, are large and strong enough to be used as toilet "paper".

Another interesting fact is that it has photosynthetic bark - aka it produces food for the plant as well as protects it.

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As one with Lyme Disease who formerly, and I should add PROUDLY, used leaves as TP, I have a warning: Be aware of using any leaves or other natural forms of wiping material in areas that are habitated by deer ticks. That includes much of the U.S., Canada, and much of the world, if not by the deer tick explicitely, then by some other form of tick and tick-borne vector.

On the plus side, the striped maple makes a great light weight hiking pole when dried out, even thought you would think it would not be strong because of its flexibility when fresh cut.

The largest trees I have seen are about 6" in diameter, usually fallen in the woods.

Another good use:
Since this is a soft "Hard" wood, they make incredible fire kindling. We had a lot of overgrowth on our old property in Honoeye Falls - I found by cutting down the 8-10' saplings (about the diameter of a big thumb) and then cutting them into 2' lengths (Like butter with a sawzall or small chainsaw) they burn hot and hard - a small bundle will light up your fireplace or firepit for an hour - plenty of time to get the big stuff burning hot and heavy.

JoeCedar said:

On the plus side, the striped maple makes a great light weight hiking pole when dried out, even thought you would think it would not be strong because of its flexibility when fresh cut.

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I concur - one of my favorite hiking poles was made from a dead, dry striped maple branch that I took off of a fallen tree.

JoeCedar said:

On the plus side, the striped maple makes a great light weight hiking pole when dried out, even thought you would think it would not be strong because of its flexibility when fresh cut.

The largest trees I have seen are about 6" in diameter, usually fallen in the woods.

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Ditto I have one too. I have a big stick and it was surprisingly light when it dried out. Haven't figured out what to whittly on it.

If I come back in my next life as a tree, I hope its not a striped Maple.

If you want to know more, consult the Bible.[/QUOTE]

Would you mind posting the home page link for this site. I didn't see a link on the page. Thank you.

spencer said:

US Forest Service Silvics of North America

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It's more easily accessible from the individual species pages on the Virginia Tech Dendrology website.

Yeah, most def Stripped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum, aka "Moosewood")... new twig growth often red, esp when growing in wet conditions with plenty of sunlight. The green stripes on the stem are also a give away. Most often new brances will sprout from the chewed off (or, pruned off) spots.
Not to be a technical stickler, but Stripped Maple is -different- from Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) , the true bane of trail maintainers...well, both are vigorous growers and a chore to keep at bay along the trails. Moose love both by the way, both are major food sources for them up here in New England.

Forester Jake said:

Not to be a technical stickler, but Stripped Maple is -different- from Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) , the true bane of trail maintainers...well, both are vigorous growers and a chore to keep at bay along the trails. Moose love both by the way, both are major food sources for them up here in New England.

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Not to be a technical stickler, but the scientific name for Witch's Hobble/Hobblebush has been changed to Viburnum lantanoides.