rubrum cultivars), and in more northern areas are sometimes subjected to frost prior to acquiring fall color. Leaves retain good green color well into fall (longer than many other A. Glossy dark green leaves with red stems have 3-5 lobes and are 3-6” across. Flowers give way to red-tinged samaras (to 1 1/2” long). Attractive red flowers appear in early spring before the foliage emerges. It grows to 40-50’ tall with an oval rounded form. ‘October Glory’ is a female cultivar that, as the cultivar name suggests, is perhaps best noted for its exceptional fall color. Specific epithet of rubrum meaning red is everywhere in evidence: red flowers in dense clusters in late March to early April (before the leaves appear), red fruit (initially reddish, two-winged samara), reddish stems and twigs, red buds, and, in the fall, excellent orange-red foliage color. Genus name is the Latin name for a maple tree. Small, red flowers in clusters mature in late winter, and the tree is one of the first to flower in early spring. The bark of young trees is smooth and silvery-gray, becoming scaly and dark with age.

Flowers on a given tree are primarily male or female or monoecious and appear in late winter to early spring (March-April) before the leaves. If the leaf margin, or edge, of your maple's leaves appear serrated, it is probably a red maple. Leaves are medium to dark green above and gray green below. Lobes have toothed margins and pointed tips. Leaves (to 2-5' long) have 3 principal triangular lobes (sometimes 5 lobes with the two lower lobes being largely suppressed). Quality of red fall color on species plants is variable.

It grows faster than the other upright maples. The more common ones include: ‘Armstrong - An upright form of red maple that is a selection of A. Emerging new growth leaves, leafstalks, twigs, flowers, fruit and fall color are red or tinged with red. Selected cultivars: There are numerous cultivars of red maple, some of which are selections of A. In northern states, red maple usually occurs in wet bottomland, river flood plains and wet woods, but in Missouri it typically frequents drier, rocky upland areas. It grows faster than Norway and sugar maples, but slower than silver maple. It typically grows 40-60’ tall with a rounded to oval crown. Most references describe red maple as wind pollinated, but insect pollination may be important, as many insects, especially bees, visit the flowers.Acer rubrum, commonly called red maple, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree that is native to Eastern North America from Quebec to Minnesota south to Florida and eastern Texas. According to the USDA's Plant Guide, red maple's early-produced pollen may be important to the biology of bees and other pollen-dependent insects. Many selections available, some of the more common ones include: Autumn Flame® - dense rounded spreading branches, 35 × 35 ft (10 × 10 m), male, medium green foliage, bright red fall color, one of the earliest to color. Compared to sugar and black maple, red maple is a relatively short-lived tree, rarely living longer than 150 years. Part of its range overlaps with that of Acer saccharinum, Silver Maple, with which it hybridizes, intermediate forms often occur. Tea brewed from the inner bark has been used for treating coughs and diarrhea. Native Americans used red maple bark as an analgesic, a wash for swollen eyes and cataracts, and as a remedy for hives and muscular aches. This tree has long been valued as an ornamental tree because of its ease of establishment, rapid growth, brightly coloured flowers and fruit, and fall leaf colours. Red maple is also known as scarlet maple, swamp maple, soft maple, Carolina red maple, Drummond red maple, water maple as well as some other names. To support our efforts please browse our store (books with medicinal info, etc.).

Red maple acer rubrum