Norway Maple
The Norway maple is a species of Maple. There are about 132 species, most of which are native to Asia. Norway maple is native to eastern and central Europe and western Asia. It is known for making furniture and turnery.
Widely grown as a shady tree. It grows faster than native maple. In addition, its wood is used for cabinets, and interior finishing.
Silver Maple
Silver maple is also known as Creek Maple, Silverleaf Maple, Soft Maple, Large Maple, Water Maple, Swamp Maple, or White Maple. It is native to the eastern and central United States. Like the Norway maple, it also grows rapidly.
Silver Maple also grows as an ornamental and shade tree. It is often found in parks and gardens.
| # | Norway Maple | Silver Maple |
| Scientific Name: | Acer platanoides | Acer saccharinum |
| Native to: | eastern and central Europe | Northeastern United States |
| Tree Size: | 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall | 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall |
| Average Dried Weight: | 40.3 lbs/ft3 (645 kg/m3) | 33 lbs/ft3 (530 kg/m3) |
| Janka Hardness: | 1,010 lbf (4,510 N)* | 700 lbf (3,110 N) |
| Wood color: | reddish-brown | light golden or reddish-brown |
| Rot Resistance: | not rot resistance | not rot resistance |
| Uses: | Veneer, paper (pulpwood), boxes, crates/pallets, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small specialty wood items. | Veneer, paper (pulpwood), boxes, crates/pallets, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small specialty wood items. |
Norway vs Silver Maple Uses
Best uses of Norway Maple
Shady Tree: Norway maple is known as a shady tree. Its tree is very dense and grows rapidly. It can be easily planted on the roadside and garden.
Flooring: To make quality wooden flooring, the wood should be hard and stable. Being a hardwood, there are fewer chances of scratches and dents. Norway has been preferred for maple flooring.
Best uses of Silver Maple
Boxes, Crates, and Pallets: Silver maple is widely used for making boxes. To make quality and durable boxes, it is necessary that the wood should be strong and light in weight. Silver maple is lighter than Norway maple.
Food: Silver maple is one of the primary food sources for squirrels during the spring.
Common uses
Furniture: Norway maple and Silver maple are suitable wood for making furniture. Its golden or reddish-brown color makes the furniture rich and attractive.
Paper(Pulpwood): For quality paper production, straight grain and fine wood is used. Norway Maple and Silver Maple are suitable for making pulpwood.
Musical Instruments: To make musical instruments, wood should have flexibility and strength. Complex and flexible structures can be made with maples.
Wood Color
| Norway Maple | Silver Maple |
| Sapwood color ranges from nearly white, sometimes with a light golden to reddish-brown. The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish-brown. | Its heartwood is reddish-brown and the sapwood is almost white. |
Norway Maple vs Silver Maple Workability
Norway and Silver maple have good workability properties. Fairly easy to work with both hand and machine tools. Some problems may occur while working with high-speed machines. such as a router. Otherwise, it turns, glues, and finishes well.
The density and hardness of Silver maple are less than Norway maple. Therefore the workability of Silver maple is better.
Do Norway and Silver Maple Cause Allergies?
Almost all species of maple have been reported to cause skin irritation, runny nose, and asthma effects. Therefore, while working on Maple, cover the skin and wear glasses. If you already have any allergic problems then take extra precautions.
Rot Resistance
Norway Maple and Silver Maple both are rated as non-durable, and susceptible to insect attack. It is not suitable for outdoor uses.
Norway Maple vs Silver Maple Identification
Leaves
| Norway Maple | Silver Maple |
| leaves are segmented into 5 to 7 pointed lobes, dark green color. The leaves are up to 18 to 20 cm long. The leaf margin is smooth. In the fall, Norway maple leaves usually turn a pale yellow. | The leaves are palmately lobed with 5 deeply incised lobes. The leaves are 7 – 16 cm long and 5 – 12 cm broad. The surface is light green, the underside is white. The leaf margin is serrated. Silver maple leaves turn a pale yellow in the fall. |
Bark
| Norway Maple | Silver Maple |
| The young tree has smooth bark and is later fissured. The bark of the branches is brown and later becomes darker. | The bark of a young tree looks light brown and smooth. As the trees get older the bark gets darker and rougher. |
Flower
| Norway Maple Flower | Silver Maple Flower |
| The yellow flowers sprout before the leaf shoots. Flowering occurs in the month of April. Norway maple can be monoecious, that is with both male and female flowers, or can be dioecious. | The green and red flowers sprout before the leaf shoots. The male flower is greenish. The female flower is red. Silver Maples produce male and female flowers on the same tree. Flowering occurs in February – March. |
Fruit
| Norway Maple Fruit | Silver Maple Fruit |
| Its fruit is called samaras. The wings are arranged at an obtuse angle. They look different from typical fruits. Its fruit is about 2 inches long. | Silver maple fruits are also called samaras. The fruit color is Brownish-tan, 1 to 1.2 inches long. |
Norway Maple vs Silver Maple Growth Rate
The Norway and Silver maple trees grow at a medium to fast rate. In good climates (full sunlight), it grows 12 to 24 inches per year.
Read Also