If your Acer turns a dull yellow in the fall, it’s probably not a native tree; while the sugar maple can hit that end of the spectrum, it does so more vibrantly, though it really doesn’t care for the seaside, which is why you don’t see them too often on the Outer Cape. Instead, it’s likely to be either a Norway or sycamore maple, two introduced Eurasian species, both of which are now banned from sale in Massachusetts for their invasive properties. The army of yellowing maples surrounding the intersection of Cove and Sandpiper Hill roads in Wellfleet has green buds on its branches, an identifying feature of Acer pseudoplatanus, the sycamore maple. As it matures, this maple’s trunk develops scales that start to flake, coming to resemble the exfoliating bark of its namesake tree. —Joe Beuerlein
