it started to turn it red and falling. [8], In several other locations, the tree is absent from large areas but still present in a few specific habitats. The seeds of the red maple are edible.

Symptoms occur within one or two days after ingestion and can include depression, lethargy, increased rate and depth of breathing, increased heart rate, jaundice, dark brown urine, colic, laminitis, coma, and death. It is 32% nitrogen, 10% phosphate and 10% potash. The tree itself is considered polygamodioecious, meaning some individuals are male, some female, and some monoecious. They are very tolerant of flooding, with one study showing that 60 days of flooding caused no leaf damage. Also, the decline of American elm and American chestnut due to introduced diseases has contributed to its spread. The red maple grows to a height of 40–60' and a spread of around 40' at maturity. [6] Generally the crown is irregularly ovoid with ascending whip-like curved shoots. This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13" to more than 24" per year. These groups are distinctly different. The leaves are up to 10 cm (3.9 in) long. Yields twin seeds bound at their tips to a long, drooping stems. The staminate flowers are sessile. The red color of its leaves, in autumn, makes it an attractive tree that will certainly stand out on any property. [14] It grows on glaciated as well as unglaciated soils derived from the following rocks: granite, gneiss, schist, sandstone, shale, slate, conglomerate, quartzite, and limestone. Pros & Cons of Red Maple Trees. The leaf scars on the twig are V-shaped and contain 3 bundle scars. Red maple is far more abundant today than when Europeans first arrived in North America. Seedlings are tallest in the north-central and east-central part of the range. The flowers are red with 5 small petals and a 5-lobed calyx, usually at the twig tips.
In the Northeastern US, red maple can be a climax forest species in certain locations, but will eventually give way to sugar maple. Though other maple tree leaves show similar colors during the growing season, the red maple leaf can be further identified by its smaller size compared with the leaves from other maple trees. Sinuses, the spaces between lobes, are shallow on the red maple leaf. Trees on poorer sites often become malformed and scraggly. After they reach maturity, the seeds are dispersed for a 1 to 2 week period from April through July. Some years they look like they are on fire. Twigs: Most Red Maple twigs appear to be slender and glossy.

[7], Red maple is a good choice of a tree for urban areas when there is ample room for its root system. [13] Here the red maple is not present in the bottom land forests of the Grain Belt, despite the fact it is common in similar habitats and species associations both to the north and south of this area. The leaves of the red maple offer the easiest way to distinguish it from its relatives. The allergenic potential of red maples varies widely based on the cultivar. Forming an association with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi can help A. rubrum grow along city streets. It is a cultivar of Norway Maple (Acer plantanoides), a European tree that has leaves that look similar to native sugar maple. The twigs of the red maple are reddish in color and somewhat shiny with small lenticels. [8] Red maple produces one of the smallest seeds of any of the maples. Thus, high grades of wood from the red maple can be substituted for hard maple, particularly when it comes to making stain/paint-grade furniture. This will often be red or at least have a reddish tint to it on the front side. It can be found from the south of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and southern Quebec to the south west of Ontario, extreme southeastern Manitoba and northern Minnesota; south to Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas in its western range; and east to Florida. The nursery industry has developed many Acer rubrum cultivars (Trade names), each with its own distinguishing characteristics of form, growth rate, adaptability to habitat, hardiness and fall leaf colour. While many types of tree prefer a south- or north-facing aspect, the red maple does not appear to have a preference. Due to A. rubrum's very wide range, there is significant variation in hardiness, size, form, time of flushing, onset of dormancy, and other traits.

Red maple is a medium quality firewood,[28] possessing less heat energy, nominally 5.4 gigajoules per cubic metre (18.7 million British thermal units per cord) , However, one- to four-year-old seedlings are common under dense canopy. At first the twigs are green but later in the year they turn a red. Most seedlings do not survive in closed forest canopy situations. [6] When five lobes are present, the three at the terminal end are larger than the other two near the base. The tree is also known as the scarlet maple, the swamp maple, and the water maple. Its flowers, petioles, twigs and seeds are all red to varying degrees. The most popular variety being “Crimson King” maple, which is not a red maple at all. At the same time, they are tolerant of drought due to their ability to stop growing under dry conditions by then producing a second growth flush when conditions later improve, even if growth has stopped for 2 weeks.[8]. Like most deciduous trees, the red maple is a broadleaf that is flat and thin. The sinuses are typically narrow, but the leaves can exhibit considerable variation. Like A. saccharum, the wood of red maple is close-grained, but its texture is softer, less dense, and has not as desirable an appearance, particularly under a clear finish. However, one- to four-year-old seedlings are common under dense canopy. On September 15, after autumn began, the red maple leaves in Geyuan Garden began to change colors. Affecting both maple leaves and tree branches, anthracnose becomes active in wet weather conditions. Wide angles between the trunk and the branches add strength to the overall structure of the tree.

[19] It is more tolerant of pollution and road salt than sugar maples, although the tree's fall foliage is not as vibrant in this environment. The red maple tree, or Acer rubrum, is a North American native with an oval shape and strong wood. Due to its size, with the way its roots spread and grow, you should plan out a good place for your red maple beforehand. Due to their wide range, genetically the trees have adapted to the climatic differences. Seedlings are tallest in the north-central and east-central part of the range. The leaves can turn a characteristic brilliant red in autumn, but can also become yellow or orange on some individuals. [11] The petals are lineal to oblong in shape and are pubescent. This is because it can disrupt their spread and reduce the diversity of forests that are recovering from logging and other human activity. Provides amazing fall color that is yellow to red.

While many believe that it is replacing historically dominant tree species in the eastern United States such as sugar maples, beeches, oaks, hemlocks and pines, red maple will only dominate young forests prone to natural or human disturbance. It has a moderate growth rate. The flowers become reddish-green winged fruits (samaras) by early-May. A crop of seeds is generally produced every year with a bumper crop often occurring every second year. The tree was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1656 and shortly thereafter entered cultivation. [citation needed], Red maple is also used for the production of maple syrup, though the hard maples Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Acer nigrum (black maple) are more commonly utilized. [8], Native Americans used red maple bark as a wash for inflamed eyes and cataracts, and as a remedy for hives and muscular aches. It is a naturally occurring hybrid of two native maple parents – red maple   (Acer rubrum) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum). In a mature or old growth northern hardwood forest, red maple only has a sparse presence, while shade tolerant trees such as sugar maples, beeches, and hemlocks thrive. This fast-growing tree can reach mature heights of up to 75 feet with a spread up to 35 feet. In areas disturbed by humans where the species thrives, it can reduce diversity, but in a mature forest it is not a dominant species; it only has a sparse presence and adds to the diversity and ecological structure of a forest.
While many believe that it is replacing historically dominant tree species in the eastern United States such as sugar maples, beeches, oaks, hemlocks and pines, red maple will only dominate young forests prone to natural or human disturbance. Although infested leaves shrivel and drop early, the pests cause little permanent damage. They appear in late winter to early spring, from December[9] to May depending on elevation and latitude, usually before the leaves. [8] Additionally, red maple is one of the most drought-tolerant species of maple in the Carolinas.[15]. Acer x freemanii prefers moist, acidic soils with good drainage and is more tolerant of high pH soils than native red maple. Red maple is able to increase its numbers significantly when associate trees are damaged by disease, cutting, or fire. As with all North American maple trees, they are deciduous and arranged oppositely on the twig.