Silver Maple is a medium-sized to large tree commonly planted but generally uncommon to rare in the wild throughout North Carolina, found growing along streams and in other wet habitats. In Durham County, it's rare and known only from Ellerbe Creek.

The leaves are more deeply lobed than those of the similar Red Maple.

Ellerbe Creek, Durham NC 9/23/03.

The leaves are silvery-white beneath.

NC 751 bridge, Jordan Lake, Chatham Co., NC 9/20/03.

Similar to Red Maple, the bark of young trees (foreground) is smooth, while that of larger trees (background) is scaly.

Ellerbe Creek, Durham NC 10/1/03.

Bark of a large tree.

Grayson Co., VA 6/10/07.

Trees are usually multi-stemmed. Silver Maple can be spotted at a distance when the wind blows to reveal the silvery leaf undersides.

Madison Co., NC 5/11/08.