Chalk Maple
Acer leucoderme
Found in rocky slopes and bluffs, particularly over mafic or calcareous rock, on the Gulf Coast in floodplains. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you
85
Keystone
Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 94%
- Height
- Usually up to about 30 feet, sometimes taller
- Light
- Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to moist
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- March to April
- Fruiting season
- May to September
JFMAMJJASOND
Not yet recorded · Spread
Recorded in 41 Alabama counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 3
Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone
Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock
Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 112 animals.
- American GoldfinchCarduelis tristis
- American KestrelFalco sparverius
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon
- Black VultureCoragyps atratus
- Black-and-White WarblerMniotilta varia
- Blue GrosbeakPasserina caerulea
- Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
- Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caerulea
- Brown CreeperCerthia americana
- Brown ThrasherToxostoma rufum
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
- Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica
- Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
- Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii
- Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus
- Downy WoodpeckerPicoides pubescens
- Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Fox SparrowPasserella iliaca
- Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa
- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
208CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL
Genus host records with ranges including AL · Acer
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Eacles imperialisImperial Moth
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Moth
- Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
- Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
- Acleris chalybeanaLesser Maple Leafroller Moth
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
- Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Show all 208
- Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
- Acronicta retardataBantam Maple Dagger, Retarded Dagger
- Actias lunaLuna Moth
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Ancylis platananaSycamore Leafroller
- Anisota senatoriaOrange-Tipped Oakworm Moth, Orangestriped Oakworm
- Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
- Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
- Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
- Argyresthia subreticulataSpeckled Argyresthia Moth
- Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
- Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
- Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
- Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
- Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
- Caloptilia bimaculatellaMaple Caloptilia
- Catocala micronymphaLittle Nymph
- Catocala palaeogamaOldwife Underwing
- Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
- Cenopis niveanaAproned Cenopis Moth
- Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
- Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
- Cepphis armatariaScallop Moth
- Chaetaglaea sericeaSilky Sallow
- Charadra deridensThe Laugher
- Chionodes obscurusellaBoxelder Leafworm Moth
- Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
- Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
- Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
- Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
- Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
- Dasychira tephraTephra Tussock Moth
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
- Dryocampa rubicundaRosy Maple Moth, Green-Striped Mapleworm, Rosy Dryocampa
- Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
- Elaphria chalcedoniaChalcedony Midget
- Elaphria exesaExesa Midget
- Elaphria festivoidesSouthern Festive Midget
- Elaphria versicolorVariegated Midget
- Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
- Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
- Episimus tyriusMaple Tip Borer
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Eubaphe mendicaThe Beggar
- Euchlaena amoenariaDeep Yellow Euchlaena
- Euchlaena irrariaLeast-Marked Euchlaena
- Euchlaena serrataThe Saw-Wing
- Eucirroedia pampinaScalloped Sallow
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
- Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
- Eupsilia vinulentaStraight-Toothed Sallow
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Gesta juvenalisJuvenal's Duskywing
- Glena cognatariaBlueberry Gray
- Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
- Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
- Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
- Heterocampa pulvereaWhite-Blotched Heterocampa
- Heterophleps triguttariaThree-Spotted Fillip
- Homorthodes furfurataNorthern Scurfy Quaker
- Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
- Hypena baltimoralisBaltimore Bomolocha, Baltimore Snout
- Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
- Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
- Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Isa textulaCrowned Slug
- Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
- Laetilia coccidivoraScale-Feeding Snout
- Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
- Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
- Lambdina pellucidariaYellow-Headed Looper, Eastern Pine Looper
- Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lithophane patefactaDiomorphic Pinion, Branded Pinion
- Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
- Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
- Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
- Lytrosis sinuosaSinuous Lytrosis
- Lytrosis unitariaCommon Lytrosis
- Macaria aemulatariaCommon Angle
- Macaria pustulariaLesser Maple Spanworm Moth
- Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
- Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
- Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
- Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
- Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
- Metaxaglaea viaticaRoadside Sallow
- Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
- Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
- Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
- Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nemoria lixariaRed-Bordered Emerald
- Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
- Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
- Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
- Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
- Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthosia alurinaGray Quaker
- Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
- Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
- Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
- Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
- Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
- Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
- Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
- Papaipema furcataAsh-Tip Borer
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Parallelia bistriarisMaple Looper Moth
- Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
- Peridea basitriensOval-Based Prominent
- Pero ancetariaHubner's Pero
- Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
- Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
- Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
- Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
- Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
- Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
- Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
- Phyllonorycter lucidicostellaLesser Maple Leaf Blotch Miner
- Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
- Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
- Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
- Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
- Plagodis serinariaLemon Plagodis
- Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
- Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
- Prionoxystus macmurtreiLittle Carpenterworm, Lesser Oak Carpenter Worm
- Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
- Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
- Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
- Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
- Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
- Proteoteras aesculanaMaple Seed Caterpillar, Maple Twig Borer
- Proteoteras crescentanaNorthern Boxelder Twigborer, Black-Crescent Proteoteras
- Proteoteras moffatianaMaple Bud Borer, Maple Shoot Borer
- Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
- Psaphida resumensFigure-Eight Sallow
- Psaphida styracisFawn Sallow
- Pseudexentera spolianaBare-Patched Leafroller
- Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
- Psilocorsis cryptolechiellaBlack-Fringed Leaftier
- Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
- Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
- Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
- Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak, Falacer Hairstreak
- Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
- Selenia kentariaKent's Geometer
- Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
- Strepsicrates smithianaBayberry Leaftier
- Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
- Synanthedon acerniMaple Callus Borer Moth
- Synanthedon acerrubriRed Maple Borer, Maple Clearwing
- Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
- Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
- Tortricidia flexuosaAbbreviated Button Slug Moth
- Tortricidia pallidaRed-Cross Button Slug
- Tortricidia testaceaEarly Button Slug
- Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
- Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
- Zale galbanataMaple Zale, Boxelder Zale
- Zale lunataLunate Zale
- Zale minereaColorful Zale
- Zanclognatha cruralisEarly Zanclognatha, Early Fan-Foot
- Carmenta corni
- Eupithecia swettii
- Proteoteras naracana
15BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Acer
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
7BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Acer
- Aix sponsaWood Duck
- Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
- Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
- Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
- Ectopistes migratoriusPassenger Pigeon
- Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
- Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Sapindaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 5a–9b
- Flower color
- Yellow or green
- Fruit begins
- May
- Fruit ends
- September
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “March to April” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Yellow or green” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Fruit begins · “May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Hardiness · “Zones 5a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “Usually up to about 30 feet, sometimes taller” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Light · “Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Also known as
Acer saccharum ssp. leucoderme
Conservation status
| Alabama rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| AL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
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Sources
- Alabama Plant Atlas
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- FloraQuest: South Central (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- FloraQuest: Florida (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- NatureServe Explorer
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications