Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum, also known as "hard maple", is arguably Canada's most recognizable tree. In addition to the sap which boils down (40:1) to maple syrup, Sugar Maples are prized for their wood which is used in furniture, veneer, flooring, sports articles, instruments, and more. Settlers used potash-rich Sugar Maple ashes as fertilizer and also in soaps.
The native Sugar Maple tree is sometimes confused with the naturalized Norway Maple. Sugar Maple leaves have 3-5 blunt-pointed lobes, while Norway Maple has 5-7 bristle-tipped lobes. Norway Maple leaves also have a milky "juice" which Surgar Maples do not. Norway Maple tends to have darker green leaves, and unlike the splenderous Sugar Maple, the Norway only turns yellow in fall.
Nor will you ever see a Norway Maple as grand as the stunning Sugar Maple at this cache. This tree was likely here when the Johnson church was built in 1859. The church is now gone. The consolidated remains of the cemetary are maintained nearby for your inspection and reflection. But the tree lives on and continues to grow, now to the point it would take at least 3 people holding hands to encircle it. It is worth spending some moments at this peaceful spot to reflect on what once was, and imagine what this tree has seen, and the energies it has accumulated, in its lifetime... if you are open-minded and receptive, it may even offer some up to you :-)
Grey-Bruce Tree-O-Caching has been organized by the Bruce-Grey Woodlands Association to cultivate enjoyment, knowledge, and tree species identification of interesting/significant trees around Grey and Bruce counties. If there is good response, we will add a new series next year!