Acer macrophyllum, the Big Leaf Maple, also known as the Oregon maple, is a deciduous, long-lived tree native to the Pacific Northwest. True to its name, it dangles unusually large, 5-lobed, palm-shaped leaves from its branches. These goliath photosynthesizers measure up to 12" wide and almost as long, a singular feature that distinguishes the bigleaf maple from others. Giant leaves are not its only distinctive feature. The bigleaf maple is the tallest maple in North America, reaching over 100' in some areas. And it stands out in a crowd when it comes to decor. In a streamside mix of hardwood and conifer trees, a mature bigleaf maple will be the one most likely draped in mosses, lichens, and ferns.

The seeds, buds and flowers of Big-Leaf Maple are a favorite food of many small mammals and birds. Douglas squirrels cache the seeds. Deer and small mammals eat seedlings and saplings.