As an amateur botanist, one of the most common dilemmas I face is telling apart plane tree leaves from maple leaves. While both belong to completely different genera – Platanus for plane trees and Acer for maples – their leaves can look frustratingly similar at first glance.
However, with some knowledge of key identification features, distinguishing these two types of leaves becomes much easier. In this beginner’s guide, I’ll walk through the step-by-step process I use to differentiate plane tree leaves from maple leaves.
Getting Started with Basic Leaf Morphology
To start, it’s helpful to understand some basic leaf morphology terms that we’ll be using
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Sinus – The space between two lobes on a leaf Maples tend to have rounded sinuses while plane tree sinuses are more angular
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Lobes – The projections coming off the central leaf vein. Maple leaves usually have 3-5 lobes while plane tree leaves have 3-7 lobes.
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Leaf margin – The outer edge of the leaf. Plane trees tend to have finer tooth margins compared to maples.
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Leaf base – The bottom part of the leaf where it attaches to the stem. Plane tree leaf bases are wedge shaped while maple leaf bases are more rounded.
Armed with this terminology, let’s move on to some specific identification tips.
Examine the Bark and Branching Pattern
If you have access to more than just a single leaf, look at the bark and branching pattern of the tree it came from.
Plane trees have mottled, camouflage-like bark that peels off in large irregular plates. Maples, on the other hand, have smoother bark that does not peel off in plates.
The branching pattern is also telling – maples have opposite branching while plane trees have alternate branching. Opposite branching means branches come off the trunk directly across from each other. With alternate branching, each branch alternates up the trunk without a branch directly across.
So if you see camouflage-like bark and alternate branching, you can be certain you’re dealing with a plane tree, not a maple.
Inspect the Underside Color
Flip the leaf over and look at the color of the underside.
Plane tree leaf undersides are a paler whitish-green while maple leaf undersides are a more yellowish-green. This color difference is subtle but can provide a helpful clue when other features are ambiguous.
Analyze the Leaf Shape and Margins
Now let’s move on to perhaps the most useful identification feature – the overall leaf shape and margins.
Maple leaves are generally broader, with 3-5 deep, rounded lobes. Plane tree leaves are more angular and triangular, with 3-7 shallower lobes.
Specifically, compare the shape of the sinuses – the spaces between the lobes. On maple leaves, the sinuses are rounded. On plane trees, the sinuses form sharper, more distinct angles.
Also look closely at the leaf margins – the tiny teeth along the edges. Plane tree leaf margins have finer teeth compared to maples.
So if you see a leaf that’s more triangular with lots of angular sinuses and tiny leaf teeth, it’s likely a plane tree. If it’s broader with rounded sinuses and blunt teeth, then it’s probably a maple.
Remember Key Differences in Leaf Bases
Lastly, examine the leaf base where it attaches to the stem.
Plane tree leaf bases are distinctly wedge shaped. Maple leaf bases are more rounded and lack the wedged form.
So that wedge shape can provide one last clue to differentiate between the two.
When in Doubt, Compare Several Leaves
In nature, variation occurs, so a plane tree leaf may occasionally resemble a maple leaf. That’s why it’s always best to compare several leaves, looking for consistency across these key features.
The more leaves you can examine, the easier it becomes to see the pattern and differences between the two species.
Useful Mnemonics for Remembering Differences
To help commit these key differences to memory, here are some mnemonics:
- Sinuses: Rounded for Maple, Angled for Plane
- Lobes: More for Maple, Less for Plane
- Margins: Blunt for Maple, Fine for Plane
- Bases: Rounded for Maple, Wedge for Plane
These simple mnemonics help reinforce the main identification points and can make differentiating plane and maple leaves much easier with practice.
Take It Outdoors and Practice!
Once you understand the key differences between plane tree and maple leaves, it’s time to take this knowledge outdoors and put it to the test!
Go out to your local parks and neighborhoods and try identifying some of the trees you encounter. Taking a hands-on approach is the best way to get comfortable distinguishing these two diverse genera.
I recommend collecting several leaves from each specimen, taking photos of the bark and branching, and making notes about the key features. Over time, you’ll develop quick familiarity with these characteristic differences.
Final Thoughts
Telling plane trees and maples apart just by their leaves is certainly challenging for any botanist beginner. But by methodically looking at bark, branching patterns, underside color, leaf shape, margins, and bases, the distinctions become clearer.
Mastering leaf identification takes patience and practice, but the payoff is hugely rewarding. You’ll never look at trees the same way again, constantly seeing new details and features that escape the untrained eye.
So go explore your neighborhood trees and put your new leaf examining skills to use. Let the maples and plane trees teach you their unique stories, written in their distinctive foliage. The more you discover, the more fascinating trees become!
Hello from Bensheim, Germany!
I took a nice walk today and leisurely surveyed the landscape as I strolled along. The sun was out, birds were singing German love songs and all was right with the world. La la la. And then Bam! Something caught my eye that stopped me dead in my tracks….
What is that? A maple leaf on the sidewalk! I stopped to look at it and pick up the leaf, twirling its stem between my fingers. Sure enough. The leaf had three big, clear lobes with rough edges. In the middle of each lobe was a main vein, also called a “midrib.” Just like the maple back home, the midribs met at the base of the leaf (aka “palmate”). There wasn’t a clear “sinus” between each lobe like there was on the maple leaves back home, but that has to be a maple. The parent tree casually held its thick, domed crown overhead. The delicate fingers of each branch held dense bouquets of these pretty leaves, dancing in the light breeze. “Yes. Maple. I found a maple tree. ” I thought to myself.
But waaaait a minute… My eyes traveled down the tree trunk in confusion. Look at that bark. It’s smooth? What? That means it’s not a maple tree? I was interested, so when I got back to the hotel I had to do some research.
With the help of Google, I found out that this was a sycamore (acer pseudoplatanus), which is the same genus as the sugar maple (acer saccharum). So that explains the familiar leaves. But the big question I know you are wondering right now is “Can you tap it?”. I know, because I was asking the same question.
So yes, the sycamore CAN be tapped and its sap made into syrup. Spring weather in Germany includes those favorable nights below freezing and days in the 40s too. Heard it from the rooftops: “Hey Germany! You should make syrup! Don’t you know you can tap these?”
The native distribution of this sycamore encompasses most of central and southern Europe. However, you can find a similar tree in the United States called the American sycamore (platanus occidentalis). The American sycamore is not in the acer genus like the sugar maples and the sycamore I found in Germany. Instead, it is in the platanus genus. Don’t let that discourage you though. Pay no mind. TAP IT!.
I have read several accounts online of people who mix the maple sap and sycamore sap when making syrup. And one sycamore syrup enthusiast had noted that their sycamore syrup had more of a honey or butterscotch flavor than maple syrup.There are other uses for the sycamore tree too! It’s a pretty cool tree.
More Information About Sycamores:
Another type of maple found in Germany is the Field Maple (acer campestre). Perhaps I will save that one for a separate blog post.
