Silver Maple and lichens

[Snicker Bar]

We are having straight line winds today and just lost what Jon is calling a Silver Maple . Some of the branches have green lichen.

Is this type of Maple and the lichen (green) ok?

[Charley Chuckles]

I believe they are fine. Your gang can eat for months ☺️
Might want to wait for others to chime in.
I was watching your weather YIKES 😳 STAY SAFE

[Tashahaven]

Yes, maybe wait for others to chime in. However… I have a GIANT maple in my yard…I THOUGHT it was a red maple due to the red leaves a certain time of year. But the more in depth research I did, comparing the species, leaf shape etc, I discovered it too is a silver maple. It is home to many of my wilds. And I originally posted a couple times for clarification on safe trees. Never got a definitive reply. But I have been providing the cleaned branches and leaves to my girl since fall and she likes them. Prefers apple tree limbs. But still chews on and plays with the maple wood and leaves. I gathered what I could before they all lost their leaves and the snow came last year. I still have some that I bring in to her from garage.

From my research they are fine. But I cannot answer about the lichen. I’ve always erred on the side of Caution with what I’ve given her, and scrub and clean anything anyway. Soooo that’s all I know FWIW.

[Diggie's Friend]

Silver maple is fine, as is white birch and poplars, also good basswood and sycamores.

Save one is an expert on lichen, I would leave them alone; for many species of lichen that are toxic.

[island rehabber]

Remember we can always nuke (microwave) branches and wood pieces for about 2 mins -- kills anything alive in there.