This widespread eastern species needs further revision for precise mapping of its segregates and relatives; see also notes under floridanum and nigrum. Its lower leaf surfaces are generally glabrous, but they can sometimes be pubescent and then care is needed to distinguish it from nigrum or floridanum. The whole saccharum complex differs from the rubrum complex as follows (F, W): principal leaf lobes relatively broad (versus sharp), with sinuses broader than deep (versus sharp or deeper than broad), and with 0-5 rounded coarse irregular teeth per lobe (versus 8-20+ fine or coarse teeth); flowers appearing with the leaves or slightly before (versus long before), on filiform pedicels (versus short-pedicelled in male to sessile in female), yellowish (versus red to yellow); pairs of samaras with broad U-shaped or open sinus (versus V-shaped), maturing in Jun-Oct (versus Feb-Jul). Typical A. saccharum is the most abundant potential dominant tree on mesic sites with fertile soils across east-central and northeastern regions of North America. In Ky., occasional trees in older growth are as large as 100-130 cm dbh; the state champion is open-grown in DAVI, 167 cm dbh, 27 m tall, 28 m wide (KDF 2020). The species is, however, sensitive to burning and browsing. Most herbivorous mammals (including beavers) will eat leaves or bark. Its frequency in the undergrowth of forests can be grearly reduced by high densities of deer, and in the Ohio Valley Aesculus glabra appears then to be favored, as well as less palatable smaller trees and shrubs like Asimina and Lindera (e.g. Jenkins et al. 2015).