Acer nigrum
Leaves are opposite simple.
The black
maple is very similar to the sugar maple and is often mistaken for
it.
The leaves are three to five lobes, but with the lobes sharp pointed and not so deeply cut as the sugar maple. The leaves are dull green above and yellow-green below with soft hairs, especially along the yellow veins. The margins of the leaves droop, making them appear somewhat wilted.
The twigs are stout, light to dark gray, smooth and opposite on the stems. The fruit is a pair of winged seeds, ripening in autumn. The bark is very similar to the sugar maple, except that it is usually darker.
