![]() They are very good with holding soil, preventing erosion. ![]() "In terms of wildlife habitat, the flowers, which emerge very early in the spring, provide a considerable amount of food for insects and birds. " contributes a great deal to the forest ecology within its range," McFarland says. ![]() The Salt Sweet Talk: FDA's 'Added Sugar' Label Hits Sour Note With Maple Syrup Makers The bigleaf maple, with its broad-shading canopy, is often eradicated so more Douglas fir will grow. But the West Coast timber industry is largely set up to harvest Douglas fir. It grows from San Diego, Calif., all the way north to British Columbia's Vancouver Island. The bigleaf maple has a broad canopy and is native to the West Coast. But this fresh Northwest product is finding a home with top chefs. McLeod's syrup is a drop in the bucket compared to the established East Coast and Canadian maple syrup industries that pour out a combined 15 million gallons' worth each year. "You could go find a very pristine piece of property full of maples, tap it and have your house paid off in just a few years," he says. He says the goal is to plant a lot more trees on the farm and find new tapping ground. Devin Day, McLeod's son, is the company's front man, charming chefs with syrup samples. Please consult a qualified physician for medical advice, and always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your health and nutrition program.Neil McLeod, owner of Neil's Bigleaf Maple Syrup farm, keeps a close eye on his reducing sap for out of control foaming. Information is provided without any representations or warranties of any kind. We cannot guarantee that the information provided by the Pierce Conservation District reflects the most up-to-date medical research. The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment nor is it to be construed as such. Any ethnobotanical information presented here in respect to healthy living, recipes, nutrition, and diet and is intended for informational purposes only. *Disclaimer: These plants have been used by people for food and medicine in different ways since time immemorial. Click here to purchase your Big Leaf Maple now! Please check your County's local laws for harvesting(even for bark, flowers, or leaves) before gathering. This is one of the many reasons it is great to grow your own trees if you’re hoping to harvest significant amounts bark or lumber, it is best to grow the trees yourself. When you deplete an area of its native species you are inviting invasive species to establish themselves. Respect that native plants are already in competition with both human development and invasive species. Leave ample fruit for reseeding and wildlife food. It’s been called the paddle tree, since the wood is perfect for making canoe paddles. Other uses: Big Leaf Maple wood is very instrumental in the NW, and can be used for wood-carving and many other things such as construction, cradleboards, bowls, and other household objects. Medicinal Uses: Historically, the Klallam ( Lower Elwha Klallam and S'Klallam) would infuse the bark for sore throats. These flowers also made a nice addition to any salad or soup. Big Leaf Maple flowers are also edible, and have been known to be made into fritter treats. However because the sugar content is quite low, you’ll need to gather a lot more to produce the same amount of sweet syrup as the sugar maple. Big Leaf maple has the sweetest sap of all the native northwest maples. Sap can be collected from fall to spring, however best sap flows generally happen in January to February. Elk and deer are known to browse the tree, and it can also provide excellent shade for salmon spawning streams.Įdible uses: Syrup season is much longer in the Pacific northwest due to much milder winters. The lime green flowers attract many pollinators in the spring, and in Fall the seeds attract small animals and birds. ![]() This magnificent tree plays a role for almost every critter in the forest. Underneath its massive canopy you’ll find lichens, mosses, and most likely Licorice Fern growing out from the trunk and limbs. Reaching up to a foot in width the name Acer Macrophyllum literally translates to “maple large leaf.” Big Leaf Maple bark is rich in calcium and moisture and therefore hosts a community of epiphytic plants. You can’t have Fall in the PNW without the Big Leaf Maple! Oftentimes referred to as the Grand Dame of the forest, these trees can grow up to 100 feet tall with a span of 50 feet and have the largest leaves of any maple tree. ![]()
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