What is the difference between maple and plane tree? Teach you to quickly identify them

Maple belongs to the Acer genus in the Sapindaceae family and is the common name for some species of Acer trees, of which there are 199 species worldwide. The plane tree is also known as Qingtong, Chinese plane tree, tongma, wu tree, etc. It originates from China and is cultivated in all provinces north and south, and also serves as an ordinary street tree and garden ornamental tree. Many people do not know the difference between maple and plane tree, so let us take a look below at exactly what differences there are between maple and plane tree!

The family and genus differences between maple and plane tree

1. Maple: Maple is a shrub or large or small tree in the plant kingdom, Angiosperms, Dicotyledoneae, Archichlamydeae, Sapindales, Sapindineae, Sapindaceae, Acer genus.

2. Plane tree: The plane tree is a deciduous large tree in the plant kingdom, Angiosperms, Dicotyledoneae, Archichlamydeae, Malvales, Malvineae, Malvaceae, Platanus genus.

The morphological differences between maple and plane tree

1. Maple: Maple is a tall tree, with a tree height of up to 24 m and a crown width of up to 16 m. Its flowering period is from April to May, and its fruiting period is from September to October. As the tree age increases, the crown gradually opens into a round shape. The branches are brownish red to brown, with small holes. In winter the branches are black-brown or gray. Maple leaves are gorgeous in color and unique and beautiful in shape, and can be made into bookmarks, specimens, etc. In autumn they turn fiery red, and when they fall to the ground they become dark red.

2. Plane tree: The plane tree is a deciduous tree, up to 15 m tall. Its leaves are green and smooth. The leaves are heart-shaped, palmately 3-5 lobed, 15-30 cm in diameter. The lobes are triangular, with acuminate apex and heart-shaped base, and both sides are hairless or slightly covered with short pubescence. The panicle is terminal, about 20-50 cm long, and the lower branches are up to 14 cm long. The flowers are light purple. The follicle is membranous, stalked, and splits into a leaf-like form before maturity. The seeds are spherical, with wrinkles on the surface, about 6-7 mm in diameter, and the flowering period is around June.

The origin differences between maple and plane tree

1. Maple: Maple is widely distributed in the northern temperate zone and tropical mountainous areas, and is found in Asia, Europe, North America, and the northern edge of Africa. China is the country with the most species of Acer trees in the world, and they are distributed in hills and some high-cold mountainous areas, etc.

2. Plane tree: The plane tree is mainly produced in Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Nanjing, Hubei and other provinces and regions, and is also distributed in Japan, Korea, South Korea and other places, mostly under artificial cultivation.

The uses differences between maple and plane tree

1. Maple: Maple wood is one of the most valuable premium timbers. Some species of maple can produce maple syrup. It is highly ornamental. When maples form a maple forest in patches, the late autumn scenery is extremely beautiful. Its roots can dispel wind and relieve pain, its leaves can dispel wind and remove dampness, promote qi circulation and relieve pain, and its seeds can dispel wind and free the collaterals, promote diuresis, and promote lactation.

2. Plane tree: The plane tree grows quickly. Its wood is suitable for making musical instruments, its bark can be used for papermaking and ropes, and its seeds can be eaten or pressed for oil. Because its trunk is smooth and its leaves are large and beautiful, it is a famous ornamental tree species. Many legendary guqins were made from plane tree wood, which has an important role in Chinese culture. It has currently been introduced to many countries such as Europe and the Americas as an ornamental tree species.