The Meadows neighborhood of Middleton, Wisconsin, has lots of silver maple trees.
And, unfortunately, many of them end up in stormwater drains.
Photos by Retiring GUy
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, 5/14/2025
The answer is not, according to Jeffrey Iles, Extension and Outreach Department Chair:
Across the state of Iowa this spring, several species of maples have commanded a lot of attention due to the extraordinary amount of seed they have produced. So-called “mast years” are infrequent for maples (every three to five years), but when they occur, it’s hard not to notice the inordinate amount of seed produced.
In 2025, silver maples (Acer saccharinum), red maples (Acer rubrum), and hybrid red x silver maples (Acer × freemanii) are the species most associated with heavy seed crops. Seeds (samaras) are red at first, eventually turning brown, giving affected trees an off-color. And at the same time, because stored energy is being used to produce fruit, fewer and smaller leaves are produced in tree canopies.
The overall effect is a thin, brownish-red, unhealthy-looking tree. The good news is that this condition is temporary and not harmful at all. In fact, by mid-summer, affected trees should return to a more normal appearance.
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