Acer Rubrum

The “Red Maple” is considered by the U.S. Forestry Service as the most abundant native tree in eastern North America, called by many names including swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple. It can thrive in many soil conditions anywhere from poor and dry to swamp-like. Often used as a shade tree (can tolerate full sun), it ultimately reaches about 100 feet tall and 16 feet wide. Its large, 3-5 lobed leaves are green most of the year with varying degrees of red-colored stems, flower clusters, and twigs. The bark is a smooth, pale-gray color on young trees, developing into darker and thicker bark cracking into slightly raised long plates. The American Red Maple is best known for its deep scarlet fall color, but can also turn shades of yellow and orange. It is said that soil acidity influences the color of the foliage, and trees with female flowers are more likely to produce orange colors, while male trees produce red. However, the tree can sometimes switch from male to female and vice versa under certain conditions. Trees begin flowering anywhere from 4-8 years old.