species

Species to Consider Tapping for a More Unique Spin on an Old Classic

Dan Forestry, Specialty Crops, Sugar, This Land of Ours

The many trees you can tap for syrup to sweeten your favorite breakfast treats.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

species

Although you definitely won’t get the traditional maple syrup taste from these trees, there are at least 15 other species you can consider tapping for a more unique spin on the old classic.

The sugar maple is the obvious frontrunner.  But you can tap several types of walnut trees, including black walnuts. As you might expect, the flavor of the syrup you’ll get from the black walnut is somewhat nutty and is also quite rich. Birch trees will produce a mild, somewhat sweet and more watery than maple syrup.  Although the butternut tree is in the walnut family, it has a 2% sugar content, similar to the sugar maple, and is typically found in the Eastern portion of the U-S. Another option for a tree to tap if you like the flavor of butternut syrup but don’t want to tap an endangered tree is the heartnut.

Other notable trees to tap for syrup include:  Sycamore, Linden, Ironwood, Hickory, Elm and Palm.

Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.

Species to Consider Tapping for a More Unique Spin on an Old Classic