Bigleaf Maple

Bigleaf maple is a large deciduous tree native to moist forests, riparian areas, and valleys of the Pacific Northwest and California. True to its name, it bears the largest leaves of any maple—often more than a foot across—which turn golden yellow to orange in autumn. Mature trees can reach 50–100 feet tall, with broad crowns that provide deep shade and rich leaf litter that supports diverse forest floor communities. In early spring, it produces dangling clusters of greenish-yellow flowers that supply nectar and pollen for bees and other insects, later developing into paired winged samaras. Ecologically, bigleaf maple is a keystone species, offering habitat, food, and soil enrichment, while also being culturally valued for its wood, as a fast-growing shade tree, and increasingly, for maple syrup production.