Red Maple

Acer rubrum

The Red Maple is known for its bright red leaves in the fall. It grows quickly and provides beautiful colors to the landscape!

Habitat: Wetlands and forests

Appearance

The Red Maple is known for its brilliant red fall leaves, which can also be orange or yellow. Its bark is smooth and light gray when young, becoming dark and ridged with age. Look for small, reddish flowers and buds early in spring, giving it a reddish tint even before leaves appear.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderSapindalesFamilySapindaceaeGenusAcer

Red Maple

Interesting facts

It is the most widespread native tree in eastern North America.

Its sap can be tapped for maple syrup, similar to Sugar Maples!

Red maple wood is used for furniture, flooring, and even musical instruments.

The Red Maple is the state tree of Rhode Island!

Special abilities

Red Maple has early spring flowers, blooming before most trees, giving pollinators a valuable early food source.

Red Maple has winged seeds, called samaras, that twirl like helicopters to spread far from the tree.

Measurements & details

Height: 15-30 m
Canopy Spread: 10-15 m
Edible: No
Trunk Diameter: 45-90 cm
Lifespan: 80-150 years
Fruit Type: Samara
Growth Rate: Medium
Leaf Type: Deciduous

Ecological connections

eats

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Deer browse on young leaves and twigs.

pollinates

Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Bees gather nectar and pollen from early flowers.

eats

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Squirrels eat the tree's winged seeds (samaras).

eats

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Goldfinches feed on the protein-rich seeds.

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Broadleaf Tree

Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.

Fall Color

Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.

Rapid Growing

Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.