Archdiocese Giant Silver Maple

About this verified tree

This is by far the largest Silver Maple in Edmonton, and could be one of the largest in western Canada. Below I have attached a research paragraph put together about how old the tree could be. ”This extraordinary silver maple (Acer saccharinum), located at its documented location in Edmonton, is among the largest of its kind in Alberta, with a massive single-trunk circumference of 19.2 feet (5.85 metres). Based on its size and Edmonton’s climate, the tree is estimated to be between 110 and 130 years old, making it a living witness to over a century of local history. The tree stands on land that became home to the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity in 1912, when they established a girls’ residence and school on the site. Just over a decade later, in 1929, the Archdiocese of Edmonton received the nearby Forest Heights mansion, converting it into the O’Connell Institute orphanage. Since then, the land has been continuously used for Catholic missions and now houses the Archdiocese’s Pastoral and Administration Centre. Although silver maples are native to Eastern North America, this tree was likely planted shortly after Catholic development began on the site — possibly as early as the 1910s — making it one of the oldest and largest known silver maples in Western Canada. With its immense trunk and likely connection to early 20th-century religious development in Edmonton, this silver maple is not only a biological marvel but a rare, living landmark deeply rooted in the city’s colonial and spiritual history.”

Species

Silver Maple

Scientific name

Acer saccharinum

Area

Alberta

Circumference

5.84 m