Alternative Tree Species for Utah Syrup Production Abigail Porter, Steven Price, Youping Sun, and Darren McAvoy
When thinking about producing syrup from trees, most people's minds go straight to maple trees. This is understandable given that the United States produced over 4 million gallons (about 1.7 x 107 liters) of maple syrup in 2023, with Vermont producing more than half of that total (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2024). The most common maple trees to tap are sugar maple (Acer saccharum), black maple (Acer nigrum) and red maple (Acer rubrum). However, a variety of other species in the Intermountain West can be tapped for sap.
Did You Know? The United States produces a lot of syrup, and while maples (Acer spp.) are the most common trees tapped for syrup-making (Norway maple, boxelder, bigtooth maple, Rocky Mountain maple, Tatarian maple, and paperbark maple), a variety of other species in the Intermountain West may be tapped for sap as well, such as birch, walnut, sycamore, and, possibly, aspen.
Maples (Acer spp.). Maples are within the genus Acer. Any species from the genus can be harvested for sap collection. Some maple species are more common in the Intermountain West and have been harvested with varying levels of success.
Norway Maple Norway maple (Acer platanoides) is native to Europe, but it is a common ornamental tree in Utah. The cultivar 'Crimson King' is popular for its reddish-purple leaves, although many other cultivars exist. This hardy tree grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Hardiness zones 3–8 and can range anywhere from 25 to 60 feet tall at maturity, depending on the cultivar (Hansen et al., 2021). •
Identification: All maples have opposite leaves, meaning that two leaves are paired at the same node or point of origin on opposite sides of the stem. Norway maple leaves are 4 to 7 inches long and have five lobes, or points, which are sharp with a slightly serrated margin. The leaves can be green to reddish-purple. When the leaf petiole that attaches the leaf to the branch is broken, it exudes milky sap. 1
Figure 1. Norway maple tree, leaf, samara, and bark.