Maple: From the Tree to your Table

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The sugar maple tree has existed in North America for more than 4,500 years.

Maple syrup is made from the sap of sugar maple trees.

Maple products are exported to more than 60 countries around the world.

In 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield ate maple syrup in space

Every spring, the sugaring season lasts for about 20 days.

Quebec produces over 72% of all the maple syrup in the world.

Quebec maple syrup comes from 34 billion maple trees.

In 1536, Jacques Cartier and his crew became the first Europeans to taste maple sap.

In summertime, sugars are created through the process of photosynthesis in the leaves of the sugar maple

Maple syrup producers often work day and night to collect the maple sap and turn it into maple syrup.

The sugar maple and red maple are two tree species with the ability to convert starch to sugar.

Maple sap contains 46 molecules vital to the life of the tree.

Each year, maple forests capture an amount of carbon equivalent to what’s produced by 290,000 cars.

North America has 13 maple tree species, including the sugar maple.

It has to freeze at night and thaw during the day for the maple sap to flow

In about 1676, our ancestors, the First Nations people, were the first to boil maple sap, using iron pots.

Maple syrup from Quebec is pure and 100% natural.

In the sugar shack, the maple syrup producer uses an evaporator to heat maple sap to a temperature of 103.5° C.

It takes an average of 40 litres of maple sap to make one litre of maple syrup.

Maple Quiz

The Stages of Maple

The Sap Flows

In springtime, usually the month of March when it’s cold at night and warm during the day, the sap of the sugar maple tree begins to flow.

The Sap is Collected

The maple sap is collected in buckets or a tubing system, and sent to the sugar shack.

Evaporation

The collected sap is put in a large receptacle called an evaporator to be boiled until it becomes delicious maple syrup. It takes an average of 40 litres of maple sap to make just one litre of maple syrup.

Processing

Maple sap can be turned into dozens of different maple products, such as syrup, water, butter, flakes, sugar, and block sugar. They’re all made of pure, 100% natural maple.

Enjoyment

The only thing left to do is enjoy some maple! Did you know that 95% of Quebeckers consume maple syrup more than once a week?

Pupils

The Encyclopedia
of Maple

The Sap Flows

The Sap is Collected

Evaporation

Processing

Enjoyment

The Chemistery of Maple