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Sugar maple leaf shape8/9/2023 ![]() ![]() Small tree or multi-stemmed shrub leaves have seven to nine lobes, and turn bright red or golden in the fall white flowers grow in small clusters maple key wings are wide apart.ĭamp, open woods and streamsides, from southwestern British Columbia to northern California.Īcer glabrum (Douglas or Rocky Mountain maple) They are a major constituent of many temperate forests. In a range of habitats and at varying altitudes but prefer deep, moist, fertile soils. platanoides), becoming naturalized in parts of Canada. Of the 125 Acer species found worldwide, over two-thirds grow in China 10 are native to Canada, and others are grown as ornamentals, with some (such as Norway maple, A. The angle between the wings of a maple key varies with different species. The fruits (known as samaras or maple keys) are produced in winged pairs (rarely in threes). MaleĪnd female flowers are separate, within the same cluster, in separate clusters, or on separate trees, again depending on the species. The flowers, pollinated by wind or by insects, are clustered, whitish to light yellow-green, or sometimes red in colour, depending on the species. In spring, the maple leaf-buds start to expand, often at the same time as the tree’s blooming flowers. The fall colours are due to the production of pigments called anthocyanins (responsible for the red colours) and/or the presence of carotenoids (orange and yellow) in the leaves after the green chlorophyll breaks down. On the west coast, however, the bigleaf maple, equally vibrant, turns bright golden yellow. Most, especially those celebrated in Canada’s eastern hardwood forests, display brilliant reds and oranges. Maples are famous for their brilliant fall colours. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-‐4901 USA.Vine maple leaves have seven to nine lobes and turn bright red or yellow in the fall. To a botanist, anything that contains seeds is a fruit, but to others those may be just “spinners.” Remember, those are the fruits! Distribution Some people may not think of maple samaras as fruits, but they are the fruits of maple trees. Pollen release is easy to tell-look on the ground for yellow powder. Take field glasses (binoculars) out with you so you can see the flowers, which are beautiful dark red, with yellow stamens (sugar maple flowers are green). Tips on Observing Maples: The most challenging aspect of observing the maples is that the leaves and flowers can be high up in the tree. Bark on older trees is often broken into plates. Bisson, ME Sea Grantīark: Young red maples have smooth, light gray bark. These samaras disperse in spring before the leaves are fully developed (sugar maple samaras hang on until the fall). Red maple samaras are red, in contrast to those of sugar maple, which are green in spring. Bisson, ME Sea Grantįruit: Maple trees produce double samaras (winged seeds), but you may know them as “spinners” or “helicopters” due to their characteristic descent to the ground. It is the female flower that produces the fruit. In the female flower it is the stigma that extends past the petals, ready to catch pollen. Male flowers have long stamens that extend beyond the petal and are covered in yellow pollen at the tips. Red Maples can produce all male flowers, all female flowers, or some of both. Two red maple trees may look different from each other during the flowering period. The leaf stalk and twigs also have a reddish color.įlowers: Small, hanging clusters of bright red flowers appear in spring before the leaves. Red maple leaves are green on the top and a light greenish white on the underside, and turn brilliant red in autumn. Red maple leaves are more toothed, while the lobes on sugar maples have smoother edges. To distinguish them, look at the teeth on the leaf edges. It is easy to confuse red maple with sugar maple. Leaves: Maple trees have palmately lobed leaves, which means their leaves resemble the shape of a hand with five lobes that extend in a fingerlike fashion from a central point, similar to palm of your hand. However, it tends to bud and flower very early in the season, which has a negative effect on the sap, making the syrup season for the red maple very short. Red maple can be used for syrup production. It is wide ranging, and native throughout the eastern half of the United States. Red Maple is a deciduous tree that can be 50 to 60 feet tall at maturity. ![]() An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Fact Sheet USDA-‐NRCS PLANTS Database/Britton, N.L., and A. ![]()
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