WINSTON WEEKLY©[1]

September 28, 2025

Vol. 3, No. 39

MAPLE MAGIC[2]

From the maple tree’s ability to produce sap to the abundance of fall colors drawing tourists, maple trees have a long and magical history. Most maple trees are native to Asia and have a lifespan of 100 to 400 years. The Comfort Maple, the oldest maple tree in Canada, is believed to be 500 years old.

Known for their flowering quality, maples produce samaras, sometimes referred to as “whirlybirds” or “helicopter seeds.” A dry fruit, samara seed germinates inside of the casing and breaks free, the wings carrying seed spin and can travel long distances before falling to the ground.

Although many maples produce brilliant fall colors, the sap to make syrup is collected in the spring. Collecting sap cold and filtering it before boiling prevents spoilage and maintains its high quality. It can take 30-40 gallons of sap to produce a gallon of syrup.

Known as tonewood, the wood of maple trees is used in many violins, drums, violas, cellos, and double basses because of its ability to produce and carry many sounds. It is also often used in the necks of electric guitars, producing brighter tones than mahogany.

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

From baking bread to vinegar to salad dressing, maple sap has a variety of uses. See if you can come up with a recipe or two using maple sap.

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[1] A Sunday newsletter and blog by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2]Resources: Comfort Maple Conservation Area, Pelham, Ontario; Backyard sugarin’: The basics of making maple syrup at home, https://sycamorelandtrust.org; Tonewood Spotlight: Maple, the Overlooked Alternative, https://soundspure.com; Jeffrey Greene, Masters of Tonewood: The Hidden Art of Fine-Stringed Instrument Making, Virginia University Press, March 2022.