The bark of sugar maple trees changes color as it ages. The bark of younger trees will be grayish-brown in color. As the sugar maple trees mature, the bark will deepen to a dark brown. It is characterized by vertical grooves that are closely spaced.  The bark can be described as “furrowed,” and has deep rifts or valleys between each plate of bark. Sugar maple trees are often confused with Norway maples (Acer platanoides) in Europe and western Asia. The two are most easily distinguished by their bark: the bark of a young Norway maple is one thin layer. Over time, Norway maple bark will develop vertical fissures, but they are not as deep and pronounced as the fissures of the Sugar maple, and do not lift up as much around the edges of the bark plates. The edges of the plates of bark gradually lift as a sugar maple gets older, and the plates flake away from top to bottom once the tree has reached maturity. Mature sugar maple trees may appear “shaggy” from a distance, due to the exaggerated peeling plates of bark that the trees develop. Twigs are the small, thin branches that grow out of larger branches, and off of which the individual leaves grow. Look for twigs that are narrow, sleek, and a reddish-brown color. The small buds at the ends of each twig should be covered with tiny brown-colored scales.  During the winter months, you may find brown, cone-shaped buds growing along the length of the twigs, in an opposite orientation, and 1 larger bud growing straight out from the terminal end of the twigs.  Twig buds are also useful in distinguishing Sugar maples from Norway maples. The buds of the Norway maple are larger than those of the Sugar maple. Norway maple buds are covered in larger purple scales, which form a rounded tip.
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