Description

Leaves: Opposite; simple; 2" to 6" wide and long; deciduous; typically palmately 3-lobed (rarely 5-lobed); coarsely serrate margin; turning scarlet in fall; petiole 2" to 4" long.

Twigs/buds: Twigs slender; dark red; without a disagreeable odor when crushed.  Terminal bud 1/16" to 1/8" long, red to green, not pointed.

Flowers/fruit: Flowers dioecious (some are perfect); red and fairly showy, appearing very early, well before the leaves.  Fruit a samara; 2 slightly spread wings making a V-shape, 1/2" to 1" long; matures in late spring.

Bark: Smooth and light gray on young stems; eventually breaking into long, scaly plates separated by shallow furrows.

Wood: Moderately important; sapwood white; heartwood light brown; growth rings not very distinct; diffuse-porous; uses similar to silver maple.

General: Native to most of the eastern U.S.  Resembles silver maple in some ways, but the smaller, 3-lobed leaf and smaller fruit are distinctive.  Intermediate shade tolerance.

Landscape Use: A medium-sized tree occasionally planted in Utah.  Doesn't grow as fast as silver maple, but also has weak wood.  Red maple also suffers from chlorosis in high pH soils, though this may be due to manganese deficiency.  Has very good fall color, with many cultivars available.  Zones 3-9.

Cultivars: 'Armstrong', 'Armstrong Gold', 'Autumn Flame', 'Bowhall', 'Brandywine', 'Karpick', 'Northwood', 'October Glory', 'Red Skin', 'Red Sunset', 'Redpointe', 'Scarlet Sentinel'.

Characteristics