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Red Maple Tree
Red maple tree classification
The Red Maple tree is also known as the Soft Maple and the Swamp Maple. Its scientific name is Acer rubrum an it belongs to the genus Acer in the family Aceraceae.
Hybrids between Red Maple tree and its close relative the Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) are very common. The hybrid between Red Maple tree and Silver Maple is called Freeman's Maple (Acer x freemanii) and shares characteristics with both parent species. |
Red maple tree range
The Red Maple tree is native to eastern North America and is one of the most widespread deciduous tree species in this region. It can be found as fast north as the Lake of the Woods on the border between Minnesota and Ontario and the range proceeds south all the way down to Miami, Florida. The easternmost wild Red maple trees are growing in Newfoundland and the range continues westwards to the eastern parts of Texas.
Red maple tree habitat
The Red Maple tree is an adaptable tree that can be found in a wide range of different environments. The soil can be dry and low in nutrition, as well as wet and mushy. You can even find Red Maple trees growing in swamps. The Red Maple tree will also adapt to most pH values, but trees growing in alkaline soil can develop chlorosis. Chlorosis is a condition where the Red Maple tree is unable to produce sufficient amounts of chlorophyll.
Red maple tree growth habit
A Red Maple tree can live for 100-200 years, sometimes even longer. Most trees stay around 20-30 metres in height, but occasional specimens can exceed 40 metres in height. The average diameter of older trees varies from 0.5 to almost 2 metres.
Red maple tree leaves
The Red Maple tree is a deciduous tree, which means that it will shed its leaves each fall. During the summer, the upper side of the leaf sports a light green shade while the underside is whitish. Before the leaves are shed, they will turn into a brilliant red colour that is much appreciated and from where this Maple species derives its name.
The Red Maple leaves are situated oppositely on the twig. Twigs and leaf stalks are usually of a red shade. The leaves will usually reach a length of 5-10 centimetres and be of roughly the same width. You can distinguish them from the leaves of the Silver Maple by looking at the lobes. Red Maple leaves features 3-5 irregularly toothed lobes, while Silver Maple leaves always have 5 lobes that are much more deeply notched.
Red maple tree flowers
The Red maple tree flowers early, after receiving from 1 to 30 growing degree days. Male and female Red maple tree flowers grow in separate clusters, but the same three can produce male as well as female flowers. Young trees will however sometimes only produce one sex. A female Red Maple tree flower is red and consists of five miniscule petals. The sepals are situated in clusters. The male Red Maple tree flowers consists of yellow pollen filled stamens that grows under the branches of the tree.
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Copyright 2006 maple-tree.info
. Header picture of red maple trees in fall From http://www.landscaping.about.com , taken by David Beaulieu.
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