What light and soil conditions does Moose Maple need?

Moose Maple grows best in part shade to shade with soil that stays evenly moist to wet. It struggles in full sun or in dry, sandy soils.

When does Moose Maple bloom?

Moose Maple produces its small greenish yellow flowers in May and June, before the tree fully leafs out in cooler forest sites.

What insects visit Moose Maple flowers?

Bees and beetles are the main visitors to Moose Maple flowers, drawn to the clusters of small blooms in late spring.

Is Moose Maple a good choice for a shaded woodland garden?

Yes. As a small tree adapted to shaded understories, it fits well beneath taller canopy trees in cool, moist woodland plantings.

Does Moose Maple tolerate wet sites?

It handles consistently moist to wet soil well but does not do well in prolonged drought or very dry, exposed ground.

Is Moose Maple toxic to livestock?

The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Moose Maple as toxic to livestock.

Is Moose Maple HOA-friendly?

Moose Maple takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Moose Maple

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Acer spicatum

Last reviewed: September 2026

Moose Maple is a small understory tree that flowers in May and June and grows well in part shade with medium to moist soil conditions, often found along cool forest edges and stream banks in the northeastern and Appalachian United States.

Toxicity unknown

Moose Maple (Acer spicatum) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag Moose Maple as toxic to livestock.

Light

part shade

Water

medium

Size

180"–360" H × 120"–240" W

Bloom

May, Jun

Native to

AL, CT, GA, IA and 19 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Piedmont Northern Forests Northern Lakes and Forests North Central Hardwood Forests Driftless Area Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains Northeastern Highlands Northeastern Coastal Zone Northern Allegheny Plateau Erie Drift Plain Northern Piedmont Blue Ridge Ridge and Valley Central Appalachians Western Allegheny Plateau Acadian Plains and Hills Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands

Moose maple is a small native tree with attractive palmate leaves and yellowish-green flower clusters in late spring. This understory species naturally develops a multi-stemmed form and provides excellent fall color in shades of yellow to orange-red.

Growing Moose Maple

Grow Moose Maple in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 180 to 360 inches tall and spread 120 to 240 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Moose Maple takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Multi-stemmed growth appears informal and shrub-like
Large mature size may overwhelm smaller residential lots
Understory nature makes it look less refined than typical landscape trees

Wildlife value

Host plant for Rosy maple moth, Cecropia moth.

The spring flowers attract bees and beetles for pollination. The seeds provide food for birds and small mammals, while the foliage serves as browse for wildlife.

Common questions

What light and soil conditions does Moose Maple need?: Moose Maple grows best in part shade to shade with soil that stays evenly moist to wet. It struggles in full sun or in dry, sandy soils.
When does Moose Maple bloom?: Moose Maple produces its small greenish yellow flowers in May and June, before the tree fully leafs out in cooler forest sites.
What insects visit Moose Maple flowers?: Bees and beetles are the main visitors to Moose Maple flowers, drawn to the clusters of small blooms in late spring.
Is Moose Maple a good choice for a shaded woodland garden?: Yes. As a small tree adapted to shaded understories, it fits well beneath taller canopy trees in cool, moist woodland plantings.
Does Moose Maple tolerate wet sites?: It handles consistently moist to wet soil well but does not do well in prolonged drought or very dry, exposed ground.
Is Moose Maple toxic to livestock?: The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Moose Maple as toxic to livestock.
Is Moose Maple HOA-friendly?: Moose Maple takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

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