Alternatives To Maple Syrup: Different Trees You Can Tap For Sap
Something about tapping trees for sap appeals to gardeners. It’s another “crop” that can be gathered in winter and transformed into sugary syrup. While the best known, and arguably all-round best tree for tapping is the sugar maple, most maple trees and many other trees can be tapped for syrup as well.
As winter marches toward spring, you may want to try making your own syrup. Read on for information on other trees you can tap for sap – and what to do with the sap when you get it.
Tapping Trees for Sap
Long before colonists set foot on this continent, Native Americans were tapping trees for sap. They learned that extracted maple sap could be transformed into a sweet syrup and passed this information on to the settlers. The process of tapping trees for sap is still used today.
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is the favorite species for tapping. It offers generous amounts of sap with a high sugar content of some 2.0 percent. But you can use the sap from other trees for syrup too. In fact, most maple trees are excellent candidates for tapping and produce different types of syrup.
Other Trees for Syrup
When it comes to tapping trees for sap, many maple varieties are excellent options. Walnuts and birch trees can work well too, and boxelder and sycamore have also been tapped. The sugar content of their sap is less than that of sugar maple, so it takes more sap to create a gallon of syrup. With sugar maple trees, it takes about 40 gallons (151.4 L.) of sap, but with other trees, the ratio can be double.
Some of the best alternative maple trees for tapping include the red maple (Acer rubrum), silver maple (Acer saccharinum), and boxelder (Acer negundo). What about other trees for syrup? Birch syrup production is popular among maple sugar producers since the sap in birch trees doesn't start flowing until the sap flow in maples is ending in early spring. With birches, it takes 150-200 gallons (567.8 – 757 L.) of sap to produce one gallon (3.78 L.) of syrup.
Walnut trees, especially black walnut (Juglans nigra), are also trees you can tap for sap. The syrup from walnuts tastes a lot like maple syrup but a little nuttier. One potential issue with tapping walnut trees is the pectin levels in the sap that can make filtering it extremely difficult.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our DIY eBook "Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter".
How to Tap Trees for Sap
If you are ready to jump into this popular wild-fooding pastime, you may need some basic information on how to tap trees for sap. The process itself is quite simple and undertaken in late winter when nighttime temperatures are below freezing and daytime temperatures are above freezing. You drill small, shallow holes into the trunk of the trees to be tapped and insert small wooden or metal spouts called spiles. These are used to direct the sap into buckets.
After the sap is collected, you must heat it to boil off the excess water. You can do this over a propane burner. The sap turns into sugar at 219 degrees Fahrenheit (103.8 Celsius) when the sugar content reaches about 66 percent.
If this sounds appealing, by all means give it a try. A tap or two will not injure a healthy tree, and a single tap can yield 10 to 20 gallons (37.8 to 75.7 L.) of sap.
Teo Spengler has been gardening for 30 years. She is a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Her passion is trees, 250 of which she has planted on her land in France.
-
Climate Change And Pests: Do Warmer Winters Mean More Pests?
Warmer climates can result in an increase of some pests and decrease of others, which isn’t always a good thing. Here's how to protect your garden.
By Bonnie L. Grant
-
What Is A Water Wick? How To Use One To Keep Houseplants Hydrated While You’re Away
A water wick for plants will give you a worry-free break if you need to leave your plant babies for a while. It’s easy to set up and pretty much runs itself.
By Amy Grant
-
Best Trees For Carbon Sequestration And Climate Change
Let’s keep planting trees. They are our best bet for capturing carbon and may help with our global warming issues.
By Teo Spengler
-
7 Invasive Trees You Should Never Plant In Your Yard Or Garden
What are some invasive trees you should never plant in your yard? Click here to find out.
By Teo Spengler
-
How Close Can You Plant A Tree To A Stump?
Looking to plant new trees near old stumps or where stumps have been removed? Click here to learn how.
By Teo Spengler
-
Messiest Trees That Drop Debris Everywhere
Want to know which trees will create the biggest messes in your home landscape? Click here to find out.
By Amy Grant
-
How To Get Rid Of Tree Sprouts In The Yard From Nearby Trees
Learn the simple way to keep pesky tree seedlings in your lawn from becoming saplings.
By Teo Spengler
-
7 Common Tree Care Mistakes That Kill Trees
Are you accidentally killing your tree? It's easier than you think, if you're committing one of these common mistakes. Click here for more.
By Teo Spengler
-
How To Tell How Old A Tree Is
Ever wondered how to calculate the age of a tree? Click here to learn all about it.
By Teo Spengler
-
When To Remove Tree Stakes From Saplings
A newly planted tree may grow strong when it’s staked, but don’t forget to remove the stakes when it’s stable.
By Teo Spengler