![]() rubrum is one of the most abundant and widespread trees in eastern North America. After they reach maturity, the seeds are dispersed for a 1 to 2 week period from April through July. They ripen from April through early June, before even the leaf development is altogether complete. They are borne on long slender stems and are variable in colour from light brown to reddish. 75 inch) long double samara with somewhat divergent wings at an angle of 50 to 60 degrees. The fruit is a 15 to 25 milimeter (.5 to. The staminate flowers contain between 4 and 12 stamens, often with 8. The pistillate flowers have one pistil formed from two fused carpels with a glabrous superior ovary and two long styles that protrude beyond the perianth. They are lineal to oblong in shape and are pubescent. The flowers are red with 5 small petals and a 5-lobed calyx borne in hanging clusters, usually at the twig tips. The tree itself is considered polygamo-diecious, meaning some individuals are male, some female, and some monoecious. They appear in spring from April to May, usually coming before the leaves. The flowers are generally unisexual, with male and female flowers appearing in separate sessile clusters, though they are sometimes also bisexual. The leaf scars on the twig are V-shaped and contain 3 bundle scars. The buds form in fall and winter and are often visible from a distance due to their reddish tint. The lateral buds are slightly stalked, and in addition there may be collateral buds present as well. The buds are usually blunt and greenish to reddish in coulour, generally with several loose scales. Dwarf shoots are present on many branches. The twigs of the red maple are reddish in colour and somewhat shiny with small lenticels. Furthermore, the leaves turn a brilliant red in autumn. The leaf stalks are usually red and are up to 10 cm (4 inches) long. rubrum's leaf is light green and the underside is whitish and can be either glaucous or hairy. saccharinum, are much more deeply lobed, more sharply toothed and characteristically have 5 lobes. In contrast, the leaves of the related silver maple, A. When 5 lobes are present, the three at the terminal end are larger than the other two near the base. The sinuses are typically narrow, but the leaves can exhibit considerable variation. They are typically 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) long and wide with 3-5 palmate lobes with a serrated margin. As with all maples, they are deciduous and arranged oppositely on the twig. The leaves of the red maple offer the easiest way to distinguish it from its relatives. The largest known living red maple is located near Armada, Michigan, at a height of 38.1 metres (125 feet) and a bole circumference, at breast height, of 4.95 metres (16.25 feet). As the tree grows the bark becomes darker and cracks into slightly raised long plates. The bark is a pale grey and smooth when the individual is young. Generally speaking, however, the crown is irregularly ovoid with ascending whip-like curved shoots. Individuals grown in the open are shorter and thicker with a more rounded crown. In forests, the bark will remain free of branches until some distance up the tree. The diameter can range from 46 to 76 cm (18 to 30 inches), depending on the growing conditions. It is a medium to large sized tree, reaching heights of 18 to 27 metres (60 to 90 feet) and exceptionally over 35 metres (115 feet). rubrum is generally easy to identify, it is highly variable in morphological characteristics. It is also the State Tree of Rhode Island. It is used commercially on a small scale for maple syrup production as well as for its medium to high quality lumber. Due to its attractive fall foliage and pleasing form, it is often used as a shade tree for landscapes. Elevation is also not a limiting factor in its range, as it grows well from sea level to about 900 m (3,000 feet). It can be found growing in swamps, on poor dry soils, and most anywhere in between. ![]() Over most of its range, red maple is adaptable to a very wide range of site conditions, perhaps more so than any other tree in eastern North America. Among these features, however, it is most well known for its brilliant deep scarlet foliage in autumn. It is aptly named as its flowers, petioles, twigs and seeds are all red to varying degrees. At maturity it often attains a height of around 25 metres (82 feet). Many of its features, especially its leaves, are quite variable in form. It ranges from the Lake of the Woods on the border between Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to near Miami, Florida, and southwest to east Texas. Acer rubrum ( Red Maple, also known as Swamp or Soft Maple), is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern North America.
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