Identifying characteristics:
The red maple is a medium to tall tree reaching 60 feet or more. In the
forest it has a short, narrow crown, but when planted in the open it develops
a narrow to broadly-rounded crown of dense, ascending branches. The simple,
opposite leaves are shallowly 3
(rarely 5)-lobed and 2 to 6 inches long, with irregularly-toothed margins.
The upper surface is light green, the lower surface very pale or whitish
with hairs along the veins. The new growth and petioles are often red and
the fall color is variable from yellow to brilliant red or scarlet. Cultivars
will produce the most dependable fall color. This species is one of the
first to flower in spring, producing bisexual flowers
or male and female flowers on separate branches of the same tree long before
the leaves appear. The small, red flowers have 5 short petals and are produced
on slender stalks in clusters on young branchlets. The pendulant, 2-winged
fruits ripen a month after flowering,
while the leaves are still small. The wings are 0.5 to 1 inch long, slightly
divergent and have swollen seed cases. The reddish-brown wings dry to brown
and are shed individually in early summer. The leaf scars are V-shaped,
with 3 bundle scars. Opposing pairs of leaf scars are usually connected
by a fine line. The buds are blunt, with several greenish-red, rounded
bud scales. Flower buds are in conspicuous clumps, often encircling the
twig. Bark is thin and light gray,
becoming darker with shallow ridges and flat, scaly plates.
Similar species:
Ecology:
Distribution: The red maple is an important constituent of the forests
of the eastern US. It is found from Quebec, south to Florida, west to eastern
Texas, and north to Minnesota and southern Ontario. It can be grown in Iowa,
but gardeners need to consult nurseries on the most suitable cultivars for
a particular area.
Habitat: This species grows equally well on dry upland sites and along swamp borders, and often invades recently cleared areas. The best growth is achieved on moist, acid soils. Due to manganese deficiency, chlorosis will occur on alkaline soils. Although it is tolerant of ozone and moderately tolerant of sulfur dioxide, the red maple will not tolerate heavily polluted areas. It is susceptible to leaf scorch in dry weather and to Verticillium wilt, a fungal disease that has caused the death of many maples over the last 50 years.
Uses:
Wood: The wood is light brown, moderately heavy, strong and
moderately soft. It is used for furniture, flooring, cabinets, veneer, clothes
hangers and kitchenware. By adding sulfate of iron to the tannin extracted
from the bark, pioneers were able to make ink. Red maple can be used to
make maple syrup, although the sap contains less sugar than the sugar maple.
Wildlife: The seeds, buds and flowers are eaten by a number of wildlife species. Squirrels and chipmunks store the seeds; deer and rabbits eat the young shoots and leaves; and the prairie warbler uses young red maples for nesting sites.
Horticulture: The red maple hybridizes easily with the silver maple (A. saccharinum). It is not as fast-growing as the silver maple, but it has better fall color and stronger wood. It is an excellent tree for lawn, park and street planting, casting a deep shade that is not too oppressive. One of the best cultivars is 'Red Sunset,' a cold-hardy, pyramidal to rounded tree with excellent orange to red fall foliage. 'Landsburg' is a selection from northern Minnesota, hardy to zone 3, with brilliant red fall color.
