Red maple
- Latin name: Acer rubrum L.
- French name: Érable rouge
- Synonym(s): Soft maple swamp maple
- Taxonomic Serial Number: 28728
- Hardiness zone: C3, NA3
Description
Leaves
Form
- 3–5 lobes
- Sides of central lobe almost parallel to the midvein
- Central and lateral lobes separated by wide, shallow, angular notches
Length
- 5–15 cm
Width
- Almost as wide as long
Colour
- Upper surface light green
- Lower surface whitened
Autumn colour
- Bright red
Margin
- Teeth sharp, irregular
Petiole
- 5–10 cm
Buds
Form
- Terminal bud present, smooth, shiny
- Flower buds stout
Length
- Terminal bud 3–4 mm, almost twice as long as wide
Colour
- Reddish
Twigs
Form
- Hairless
- Dwarf shoots bearing clusters of flower buds on most branches
Colour
- Shiny red to greyish-brown
Flowers
Form
- 5 very small petals and sepals
- In tassel-like clusters (racemes)
- Stalks slender
Structure
- Polygamo-monoecious
Floral timing
- Late winter, before the leaves appear
- One of the earliest maple species to flower
Fruits
Form
- Angle between wings about 60°
- Seedcase swollen
- Keys shed individually
- Mature in early summer
Length
- Wings 12–25 mm
Structure
- Samara
- In joined pairs
Bark
Form
- Smooth when young
- Developing scaly ridges fastened at the centre and loose at the ends
Colour
- Light grey when young, becoming dark greyish-brown
Wood
Texture
- Moderately heavy, hard, strong
Colour
- Light brown
Morphology
- Rays scarcely visible on a tangential face
Size
Height
- To 25 m
Diameter
- To 60 cm
Maximum age
- 100 years
Tree form
Forest-grown
Trunk
- Straight, often branch-free for half its height
Crown
- Short, narrow
Open-grown
Trunk
- Divides near the ground into a few ascending limbs
- Branches widely diverging and ascending
Crown
- Long, dense
Root system
- Shallow, wide-spreading
Habitat
Site
- Typically swamps and other moist soils
- Thrives on a variety of soils and sites
Light tolerance
- Moderately shade-tolerant
Range
Forests of eastern North America as far south as Florida
Photos
Photos
Anthony Scullion
Julie Piché
Insects and mites
Insects that cause damage to this tree.
-
Ashflower gall
Scientific name: Eriophyes fraxiniflora Felt
-
Galls of hardwoods
Scientific name: Eriophyes sp.
Flowers, fruits, or seeds
-
Redcrossed stink bug
Scientific name: Leptocorus trivittatus (Say)
Foliage or buds
-
Crimson erineum mite
Scientific name: Aceria elongatus (Hodgkiss)
-
Greenstriped mapleworm
Scientific name: Dryocampa rubicunda (Fabricius)
-
Maple bladdergall mite
Scientific name: Vasates quadripedes Shimer
-
Maple leafblotch miner
Scientific name: Cameraria aceriella (Clemens)
-
Maple leafcutter
Scientific name: Paraclemensia acerifoliella (Fitch)
-
Maple leafroller
Scientific name: Sparganothis acerivorana MacKay
-
Ocellate gall midge
Scientific name: Acericecis ocellaris (Osten Sacken)
-
Pear thrips
Scientific name: Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel)
-
Pero moth
Scientific name: Pero morrisonaria (Hy. Edwards)
-
Pine measuringworm moth
Scientific name: Hypagyrtis piniata (Pack.)
-
Redcrossed stink bug
Scientific name: Leptocorus trivittatus (Say)
-
Saddled prominent
Scientific name: Heterocampa guttivitta Walker
-
White slaut
Scientific name: Tetracis cachexiata (Guenée)
-
Whitetriangle leafroller
Scientific name: Clepsis persicana (Fitch)
Roots, bark, stem or trunk, or branches
Diseases caused by pathogens
Diseases caused by pathogens that cause damage to this tree.
Foliage or buds
-
Maple leaf spot
Pathogen name: Phyllosticta minima (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Underw. & Earle
-
Speckled tar spot
Pathogen name: Rhytisma punctatum (Pers.) Fr.
-
Tar spot
Pathogen name: Rhytisma americanum Hudler & Banik
Roots, bark, stem or trunk, or branches
White spongy trunk rot
Pathogen name: Fomes fomentarius (L.) Fr. (Common name for this fungus: tinder conk)
Distribution map
