Acer
[′ā·sər or ′ä‚kər] (botany)
A genus of broad-leaved, deciduous trees of the order Sapindales, commonly known as the maples; the sugar or rock maple (A. saccharum) is the most important commercial species.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
maple
maple
When the robin birds start to sing in your maple tree in the spring, that's the time to stick a tap in the tree and start harvesting maple water, drink it fresh from the tree. It's slightly sweet and extremely healthy for the body. High in magnesium. Your body needs magnesium more than calcium or potassium- it keeps your heart beating, your blood flowing. Without magnesium in your system, your heart stops and you die. If someone's having a heart attack, put cayenne pepper under their tongue, it's high in magnesium, just like maple. Eating the nut from the little "helicopter wing" keys from a maple tree is a great source of magnesium (although not too great tasting). Maple syrup is maple water that's been boiled-down, some claim it cleans kidneys and liver. Maple flowers are also edible. Inner bark tea used for colds, coughs, lung and kidney problems, gonorrhea, skin problems, blood purifier, diarrhea, duiretic, expectorant.
Edible Plant Guide © 2012 Markus Rothkranz