Common Name(s): Red Maple, Swamp, Water, or Swamp Maple
Scientific Name: Acer rubrum L.
Family: Maple family (Aceraceae)
Species Description
Growth form: Red Maples can grow in a variety of places. They may grow as trees or as shrubs as see below. Some vary and can grow at a slow growth rate, taking about 20 or 30 years to reach full height. or at a fast growth rate, reaching full height in 10 or 15 years. They can grow to become huge trees, spanning to about 115 feet!
Leaves, twigs, and bark: Leaves of Red Maple trees are simple, opposite, and toothed as seen below. Opposite leaves meaning you have leaves spanning from the same point in the opposite direction. Leaves are very distinguishable due to lobes which give the leaf its unique shape. Twigs usually have little buds on them, which are the bumps you see throughout that can become new leaves or twigs. The twigs are usually reddish-brown in color. The bark on young trees is usually smooth and light gray in color. As trees mature and age, the bark becomes darker and breaks into scaly plates.
Tree species #602
Tree species #602
Image from Tree species #602
Image from Tree species #602
Image from Tree species #602
Image from Tree species #602
Flowers: Red Maple flowers bloom in early spring and buds release many tiny red blossoms.
(Not of Radford University, will update flowers in spring once they form)
https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Sapindaceae/acer-rubrum-fl-gmittelhauser-a.jpg
(Not of Radford University, will update with fruits in the spring once they form)
https://live.staticflickr.com/49/142105571_faf9e9b362_b.jpg
Fruits: Red maples have fruits called samaras. You've probably seen these fun little fruits and thrown them in the air. As they fall from the air, they resemble little helicopters, spinning to the ground.
Native range and habitat: Red Maple is native to Virginia and throughout the east coast. The range extends from New York, south to Florida, and west to Texas. In Virginia, fringe tree occurs as a native tree or shrub in nearly all counties of the state. Red Maple prefers moist, wet soil climates, but can tolerate a wide array of soil types as indicated by the vast amount of states and counties they are found in.
Distribution of Red Maples throughout the U.S (Plants Database, USDA, 2019)
Plant Family: The main characteristic of the Aceraceae family, commonly known as the Maple Family, are the samara fruits. MAD-Buck is a common acronym that is used in the plant community. This acronym means maple, ash, dogwood, and buckeye, which are families that all have opposite leaves. The veins of the leaves also branch out from one singular point from the leaf, known as being palmately veined that resembles a palm.
Ecologic Importance and Uses:
Edible and Medicinal Uses: One super cool use of the Red Maple is that the sap from the tree is what's used to make maple syrup. The bark is tapped by a device that draws out the sap from the inside of the tree and then boiled and goes through a process to create that delicious syrup that we all know and love.
Wildlife: Birds use Red Maple trees to construct their nests and squirrels use them to store and hide nuts in. The sap can also be eaten by a variety of wildlife.
Gardens and Landscaping: Red Maple is used to construct paper, boxes, crates/pallets, and musical instruments. The bark is soft which is why it's used to create these things. As for gardening, Red Maple is used for many horticultural reasons because it's such a beautiful tree with bright red and orange leaves in autumn and red flowers in spring.
Campus Specimens - Red Maple
State and national champions? The largest Red Maple tree in the country is located in New Haven, CT. This national champion has a trunk circumference of 276 inches, height of 72 feet, and crown spread of 68 feet. Resulting in a total of 365 points. The Virginia state champion Red Maple is located in Gloucester, VA in Gloucester county and has a circumference of 228 inches, height of 84 feet, and crown spread of 88 feet, for a total of 333 points.
At Radford University, There are 36 Red Maples on campus. Trees seen below are located right in front of Davis Hall, the crosswalk between Cook and Young Hall, and near Jefferson Hall and the fountain.
Tree #604
Trunk circumference: 30.5 inches
Tree height: 17 feet
Crown spread: 30.2 feet x 22.9 feet Average = 26.5feet
Total points: 54.1
Notes: Many limbs branch out as you follow the trunk up
Tree #605
Trunk circumference: 38 inches
Tree height: 38 feet
Crown spread: 28.1 feet x 31.2 feet Average crown spread = 29.7 feet
Total points: 83.4
Notes: Interesting plate formation on the bark
Tree #606
Trunk circumference: 60 Inches
Tree height: 36 feet
Crown spread: 32.7 feet x 31.8 feet Average crown spread = 32.3 feet
Total points: 104.1
Notes: Very dark bark
Tree #602
Trunk circumference: 60 Inches
Tree height: 36 feet
Crown spread: 32.7 feet x 31.8 feet Average crown spread = 32.3 feet
Total points: 104.1
Notes: Very large Red Maple
Tree #1004
Trunk circumference: 42 Inches
Tree height: 19 feet
Crown spread: 23.3 feet x 25.9 feet Average crown spread = 24.6 feet
Total points: 67.2
Notes: Resembles a shrub
References
Elpel, T. J. (2018). Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification, Edition 6.1. Hops Press, Pony, MT.
Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. (2019). Fringe Tree Fact Sheet, Virginia Tech Dendrology. dendro.cnre.vt.edu/DENDROLOGY/factsheets.cfm
Page created by: Kevin Pham, Radford University (2019).