Maple

Five species of maple are found growing native in Iowa. The five species native to Iowa are boxelder, mountain maple, black maple, sugar maple and silver maple. The silver maple is the most common. (Information found on Iowa State Extension.) Maple can vary from soft to hard depending on the species and is light, creamy color with smooth closed grain. Most of the maple for our bowls is spalted. Spalting is when the wood begins to decay. The partial decay gives the wood grain contrasting lines and streaks where fungas has begun to attack the wood. Spalting can occur in any wood however.