There are over 128 maple species but only 4 or 5 have a high sugar content which is needed for maple syrup production.
Sugar, Black, Red, and Silver Maples are the preferred trees to use.
For someone who loves to spend time outdoors, especially in the wooded areas, I have never seen tree tapping in person. Never. And I am a maple syrup lover. Real maple syrup, that is, not the Aunt Jemima kind that is not even maple syrup — it's corn syrup with fake maple flavoring.
Last weekend I noticed some trees that were tapped and dripping sap into buckets attached to the stem. The entire bucket and spile (the fawcett) were covered with a lid to keep stuff from contaminating the sap. I lifted the lid and saw that the sap was a clear liquid. For some reason, I thought it would be at least a yellowish color.
I learned that the color happens during the boiling process where the liquid is boiled down. As it reduces, the color change happens and the liquid turns from the clear to a beautiful amber.
If you've never tried real maple syrup put it on your bucket list. It's more expensive than syrup but you can purchase small bottles of it as a treat.
How dear the woods are!
You beautiful trees!
I love every one of you as a friend.
Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea, 1909