Acer sp.
Maple, Maple
(c) Keith Kanoti, Maine Forest Service, Bugwood.org, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Sapindaceae · Type: Shrub · Variable; species dependent
Acer sp. (Maple) is a non-native California shrub in the Sapindaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Platanus: Maple fruits are paired helicopters; sycamore has hanging ball-like seed clusters and peeling bark.; vs Liquidambar: Maple fruits split into two wings; sweetgum has spiky round seed balls and star-shaped leaves with pointed lobes.; vs Quercus: Maple leaves have palmate veins radiating from base; oak leaves have pinnate veins branching from midrib.; vs Fraxinus: Maples have simple lobed leaves; ash has compound leaves with 5-9 separate leaflets arranged feather-like.; vs Morus: Maple fruits are dry winged samaras; mulberry produces fleshy blackberry-like fruits and has milky sap.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acer sp. native to California?
No. Acer sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Acer sp. belong to?
Acer sp. is in the Sapindaceae family, genus Acer.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Acer campestre — Hedge maple
- Acer circinatum — Vine maple
- Acer glabrum — Mountain maple
- Acer glabrum var. diffusum — Mountain maple
- Acer glabrum var. glabrum — Rocky mountain maple
- Acer macrophyllum — Big-leaf maple
- Aesculus californica — California buckeye
- Aesculus sp. — Buckeye
- Sapindaceae sp. — Soapberry family
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.