

The wood is commercially used to produce a variety of products like. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen in October. It is considered to be in the grouping of soft maples, and its wood is lighter, softer, and weaker than that of hard maple. Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), as its name implies, is known for its large leaves. Acer Macrophyllum is a deciduous Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 12 m (39ft) at a fast rate. Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.Ĭommon Uses: Veneer, paper (pulpwood), boxes, crates/pallets, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small specialty wood items.Ĭomments: Bigleaf maple is appropriately named, as its leaves ( illustrated below) are the largest of any maple, commonly reaching an overall width of 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) across.īigleaf maple is a commercially important hardwood timber for the United States’ west coast, where it is virtually the only commercial maple species in the region. Pricing/Availability: Should be very moderately priced, though figured pieces such as curly or quilted grain patterns are likely to be much more expensive. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. The maple family, Aceraceae, includes two genera, Dipteronia and Acer.The genus Diptero- nia contains only two species of small trees, both native to central.

#Big leaf maple genus skin
Turns, glues, and finishes well, though blotches can occur when staining, and a pre-conditioner, gel stain, or toner may be necessary to get an even color.Īllergies/Toxicity: Bigleaf maple, along with other maples in the Acer genus have been reported to cause skin irritation, runny nose, and asthma-like respiratory effects. Workability: Fairly easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though maple has a tendency to burn when being machined with high-speed cutters such as in a router. Rot Resistance:Being that the sapwood of maple is used, and not the heartwood, it is non-durable to perishable in regard to decay resistance. Grain/Texture: Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. Bigleaf maple is known for its (occasional) quilted grain patterns. The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown.

Sapwood color ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream color, sometimes with a reddish or golden hue. Acer macrophyllum, commonly called bigleaf maple or Oregon maple, is a medium to large, deciduous tree with an oval to broad-rounded crown that typically. Color/Appearance: Unlike most other hardwoods, the sapwood of maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood.
