- [Marcus] This is Marcus Isselhardt, maple specialist,
with the University of Vermont Extension.
And this is another Vermont Maple Minute.
Trees form the size and shape
of its stem and crown will be impacted
by living in a low light environment,
such as the forest's understory.
So called suppress trees are able to capture
just enough sun to survive.
Sugar maples growing in the understory
tend to leaf out earlier than the trees in the upper canopy.
When measured, it has been shown
that these understory trees will produce
as much as 80% of their entire annual food production
in that short period before the canopy closes in
and light becomes more limited.
Perhaps the most visible impact of a tree
being suppressed for a long period of time
is a characteristic flat topped crown.
This results from the tree growing
and attempting to get sun from the sides
rather than from above.
Trees whose branching has been impacted this way
will have a harder time responding
if a gap in the canopy were to open up.
These poor formed individuals
will generally not mature into large tappable trees.
This is Mark Isselhardt, maple specialist,
with the University of Vermont Extension,
and this is another Vermont Maple Minute.