The maple leaf on Canada’s national flag has 11 points.
Canada’s flag features a stylized red maple leaf centered on a white square, flanked by two vertical red bands. The design was approved by Parliament in 1964 and first raised on February 15, 1965, now commemorated annually as National Flag of Canada Day.
The number 11 does not represent Canada’s provinces and territories, despite a popular misconception. The leaf is a deliberately stylized emblem rather than a botanical drawing of one particular maple species.
An earlier proposed design used a 13-point leaf, but it became difficult to recognize at a distance and in wind. Graphic artist Jacques St-Cyr redesigned it with 11 points, producing the crisp symbol used today. The flag’s official proportions are 2:1, meaning it is twice as long as it is high.