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Rocky Mountain Maple

Rocky Mountain Maple – Acer glabrum Torr.

 

The wood is hard and according to Elder Pete Standing Alone pack saddles were made from the wood. (Photo courtesy of Glenbow Museum Archives NA-3460-22)

The wood is hard and according to Elder Pete Standing Alone pack saddles were made from the wood.
(Photo courtesy of Glenbow Museum Archives NA-3460-22)

Learn more about Rocky Mountain Maple:

Acer glabrum Torr. Galileo Educational Network

Acer glabrum Torr.
Galileo Educational Network

Rocky Mountain Maple

The Rocky Mountain Maple is a shrub or small tree that can grow to be about 3 m tall. It is most often found near creeks or rivers, because it needs lots of water. The leaves look like regular maple leaves in a style that is called palmate or palm-like. It has seeds with little wings that allow them to float on the breeze and travel long distances.

Drinking a tea made from the bark of the Rocky Mountain Maple tree in the morning helps you have a bowel movement. Our elders would use the bark of this tree to make paint containers. The wood is hard and according to Elder Pete Standing Alone, pack saddles were made from the wood. The dried, crushed leaves were used to spice stored meat.

Érable des montagnes rocheuses

L’érable des montagnes rocheuses prend la forme d’un arbuste ou d’un petit arbre qui s’élève jusqu’à 3 mètres de haut environ. Puisque cet arbre a besoin de beaucoup d’eau, il pousse surtout près des cours d’eau. Ses feuilles ressemblent à des feuilles d’érable ordinaires en ce sens qu’elles sont palmées. Ses graines tournoient grâce à de petites ailes, ce qui leur permet de voyager sur de longues distances.

Le thé fait à partir d’écorce d’érable des montagnes rocheuses favorise l’évacuation intestinale s’il est bu le matin. Aussi, nos aînés faisaient des pots à peinture avec l’écorce de cet arbre. Il s’agit d’un bois dur et selon l’aîné Pete Standing Alone, notre peuple fabriquait aussi des bâts de selles avec ce bois. Aussi, nous nous servions des feuilles d’érable séchées et écrasées pour assaisonner nos viandes entreposées.

Acer glabrum Torr. Galileo Educational Network

Acer glabrum Torr.
Galileo Educational Network

Acer glabrum Torr. Galileo Educational Network

Acer glabrum Torr.
Galileo Educational Network

  • Hellson, John C. (1974). Ethnobotany of the Blackfoot Indians. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada.
  • Moerman, Daniel E. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Portland: Timber Press.
  • Standing Alone, P. (personal communication October 28, 2004)referred to Rocky Mountain Maple.

Vance, F.R., Jowsley, J.R. & Mclean, J.S. (1984). Wildflowers Across The Prairies. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Western Producer Prairie Books.

This project was created with the professional development leadership and resources of the Galileo Educational Network