There are nearly 160 species in the genus Acer . Species with evergreen foliage are tagged #. Species and sections that are extinct are tagged with †.
81-466: See either species grouped by sections alphabetical list of species Acer is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples . The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae . There are approximately 132 species , most of which are native to Asia , with a number also appearing in Europe , northern Africa , and North America . Only one species, Acer laurinum , extends to
162-477: A "nutlet" attached to a flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue. They are shaped to spin as they fall and to carry the seeds a considerable distance on the wind. People often call them "helicopters" due to the way that they spin as they fall. During World War II, the US Army developed a special airdrop supply carrier that could carry up to 65 pounds (29 kg) of supplies and was based on the maple seed. Seed maturation
243-432: A 5-lobed calyx , usually at the twig tips. The staminate flowers are sessile . The pistillate flowers are borne on pedicels that grow out while the flowers are blooming, so that eventually the flowers are in a hanging cluster with stems 1 to 5 cm ( 1 ⁄ 2 to 2 in) long. The petals are lineal to oblong in shape and are pubescent. The pistillate flowers have one pistil formed from two fused carpels with
324-424: A distance due to their large size and reddish tint. The leaf scars on the twig are V-shaped and contain three bundle scars. The flowers are generally unisexual, with male and female flowers appearing in separate sessile clusters, though they are sometimes also bisexual. They appear in late winter to early spring, from December to May depending on elevation and latitude, usually before the leaves. The tree itself
405-588: A fossil record extending back to the middle Paleocene in North America. The oldest known fossils of Acer are from the late Paleocene of Northeast Asia and northern North America, around 60 million years old. The oldest fossils of Acer in Europe are from Svalbard , dating to the late Eocene ( Priabonian ~38–34 million years ago). Most maples or acers are trees growing to a height of 10–45 m (33–148 ft). Others are shrubs less than 10 meters tall with
486-513: A glabrous superior ovary and two long styles that protrude beyond the perianth . The staminate flowers contain between 4 and 12 stamens , often with 8. The fruit is a schizocarp of 2 samaras , each one 15 to 25 mm ( 5 ⁄ 8 to 1 in) long. Prior to dehiscence, the wings of the fruit are somewhat divergent at an angle of 50 to 60°. They are borne on long slender pedicels and are variable in color from light brown to reddish. They ripen from April through early June, before even
567-578: A height around 30 m (100 ft). Its flowers, petioles, twigs, and seeds are all red to varying degrees. Among these features, however, it is best known for its brilliant deep scarlet foliage in autumn. 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. It can be found growing in swamps , on poor, dry soils , and almost anywhere in between. It grows well from sea level to about 900 m (3,000 ft). Due to its attractive fall foliage and pleasing form, it
648-1035: A lobe, one of which is central or apical. A small number of species differ in having palmate compound, pinnate compound, pinnate veined or unlobed leaves. Several species, including Acer griseum (paperbark maple), Acer mandshuricum (Manchurian maple), Acer maximowiczianum (Nikko maple) and Acer triflorum (three-flowered maple), have trifoliate leaves. One species, Acer negundo (box-elder or Manitoba maple), has pinnately compound leaves that may be simply trifoliate or may have five, seven, or rarely nine leaflets. A few, such as Acer laevigatum (Nepal maple) and Acer carpinifolium (hornbeam maple), have pinnately veined simple leaves. Maple species, such as Acer rubrum , may be monoecious , dioecious or polygamodioecious . The flowers are regular, pentamerous , and borne in racemes , corymbs , or umbels . They have four or five sepals , four or five petals about 1–6 mm long (absent in some species), four to ten stamens about 6–10 mm long, and two pistils or
729-469: A number of small trunks originating at about ground level. Most species are deciduous , and many are renowned for their autumn leaf colours , but a few in southern Asia and the Mediterranean region are mostly evergreen . Most are shade-tolerant when young and are often riparian, understory, or pioneer species rather than climax overstory trees. There are a few exceptions such as sugar maple . Many of
810-723: A pistil with two styles. The ovary is superior and has two carpels , whose wings elongate the flowers, making it easy to tell which flowers are female. Maples flower in late winter or early spring , in most species with or just after the appearance of the leaves, but in some before the trees leaf out. Maple flowers are green, yellow, orange or red. Though individually small, the effect of an entire tree in flower can be striking in several species. Some maples are an early spring source of pollen and nectar for bees . The distinctive fruits are called samaras , "maple keys", "helicopters", "whirlybirds" or "polynoses". These seeds occur in distinctive pairs each containing one seed enclosed in
891-411: A potential allelopathic inhibitor of red maple growth. Red maple is one of the first species to start stem elongation. In one study, stem elongation was one-half completed in 1 week, after which growth slowed and was 90% completed within only 54 days. In good light and moisture conditions, the seedlings can grow 30 cm (0.98 ft) in their first year and up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) each year for
SECTION 10
#1732845672525972-780: A problem for mowing lawns. Particularly popular are Norway maple (although it is considered invasive in North America), silver maple , Japanese maple , and red maple . The vine maple is also occasionally used as an ornamental tree. Other maples, especially smaller or more unusual species, are popular as specimen trees. Numerous maple cultivars that have been selected for particular characteristics can be propagated only by asexual reproduction such as cuttings, tissue culture , budding or grafting . Acer palmatum (Japanese maple) alone has over 1,000 cultivars, most selected in Japan, and many of them no longer propagated or not in cultivation in
1053-412: A reservoir, waiting to fill any open area of the canopy above. Trees growing in a Zone 9 or 10 area such as Florida will usually die from cold damage if transferred up north, for instance to Canada, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York, even if the southern trees were planted with northern red maples. Due to their wide range, genetically the trees have adapted to the climatic differences. Red maple
1134-479: A result. Red maple's rapid growth, ease of transplanting, attractive form, and value for wildlife (in the eastern US) has made it one of the most extensively planted trees. In parts of the Pacific Northwest , it is one of the most common introduced trees. Its popularity in cultivation stems from its vigorous habit, its attractive and early red flowers, and most importantly, its flaming red fall foliage. The tree
1215-430: A sparse presence by the time a forest is mature. This species is in fact a vital part of forest regeneration in the same way that paper birch is. Because it can grow on a variety of substrates, has a high pH tolerance, and grows in both shade and sun, A. rubrum is a prolific seed producer and highly adaptable, often dominating disturbed sites. While many believe that it is replacing historically dominant tree species in
1296-399: A sparse presence, while shade-tolerant trees such as sugar maples, beeches , and hemlocks thrive. By removing red maple from a young forest recovering from disturbance, the natural cycle of forest regeneration is altered, changing the diversity of the forest for centuries to come. Though A. rubrum is sometimes easy to identify, it is highly changeable in morphological characteristics. It
1377-432: A variety of moist and dry biomes, from dry ridges and sunny, southwest-facing slopes to peat bogs and swamps . While many types of tree prefer a south- or north-facing aspect, the red maple does not appear to have a preference. Its ideal conditions are in moderately well-drained, moist sites at low or intermediate elevations. However, it is nonetheless common in mountainous areas on relatively dry ridges, as well as on both
1458-486: A variety of places, and it is widespread along the Eastern United States. It grows on glaciated as well as unglaciated soils derived from granite , gneiss , schist , sandstone , shale , slate , conglomerate , quartzite , and limestone . Chlorosis can occur on very alkaline soils, though otherwise its pH tolerance is quite high. Moist mineral soil is best for germination of seeds. Red maple can grow in
1539-609: Is a list of accepted species ordered alphabetically. Living species are from the Plants of the World Online database, which is maintained by Kew Botanical Garden in London, with additions of extinct species from paleobotanical literature. Infrageneric classification of extant species follows The Maple Society (E. Davis), 2021. Acer rubrum Acer rubrum ,
1620-685: Is a major producer of maple syrup, an industry worth about 500 million Canadian dollars annually. Also, as these trees are a major source of pollen in early spring before many other plants have flowered, maple flowers are a source of foraging for honeybees that play a commercially important role in general agriculture and in natural habitats. Maple is used as pulpwood . The fibers have relatively thick walls that prevent collapsing upon drying. This gives good bulk and opacity in paper . Maple also gives paper good printing properties. Many maples have bright autumn foliage , and many countries have leaf-watching traditions. The sugar maple ( Acer saccharum )
1701-406: Is a medium to large sized tree, reaching heights of 27 to 38 m (90 to 120 ft) and exceptionally over 41 m (135 ft) in the southern Appalachians where conditions favor its growth. The leaves are usually 9 to 11 cm ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 4 + 1 ⁄ 4 in) long on a full-grown tree. The trunk diameter often ranges from 46 to 88 cm (18 to 35 in); depending on
SECTION 20
#17328456725251782-519: Is a pale grey and smooth when the individual is young. As the tree grows the bark becomes darker and cracks into slightly raised long plates. The largest known living red maple is located near Armada, Michigan , at a height of 38.1 m (125 ft) and a bole circumference, at breast height, of 4.95 m (16 ft 3 in). The leaves of the red maple offer the easiest way to distinguish it from its relatives. As with all North American maple trees, they are deciduous and arranged oppositely on
1863-464: Is able to increase its numbers significantly when associate trees are damaged by disease, cutting, or fire. One study found that 6 years after clearcutting a 3.4 hectares (8.4 acres) Oak-Hickory forest containing no red maples, the plot contained more than 2,200 red maple seedlings per hectare (900 per acre) taller than 1.4 m (4.6 ft). One of its associates, the black cherry ( Prunus serotina ), contains benzoic acid, which has been shown to be
1944-540: Is almost exclusively associated with swamps. Additionally, red maple is one of the most drought-tolerant species of maple in the Carolinas. Red maple is far more abundant today than when Europeans first arrived in North America. It only contributed minimally to old-growth upland forests, and would only form same-species stands in riparian zones . The density of the tree in many of these areas has increased six- to seven-fold, and this trend seems to be continuing, all of which
2025-505: Is also used for the production of maple syrup , though the hard maples Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Acer nigrum (black maple) are more commonly utilized. One study compared the sap and syrup from the sugar maple with those of the red maple, as well as those of the Acer saccharinum (silver maple), Acer negundo (boxelder), and Acer platanoides (Norway maple), and all were found to be equal in sweetness, flavor, and quality. However,
2106-457: Is considered polygamodioecious , meaning some individuals are male, some female, and some monoecious . Under the proper conditions, the tree can sometimes switch from male to female, male to hermaphroditic, and hermaphroditic to female. The red maple will begin blooming when it is about 8 years old, but it significantly varies between tree to tree: some trees may begin flowering when they are 4 years old. The flowers are red with 5 small petals and
2187-503: Is due to human factors, mainly loss of forest management by Native Americans who managed the forests to enhance acorn production and oak tree growth. This loss of management has been further enhanced by continued heavy logging and a recent trend of young, shrubby forests recovering from past human disturbances. Also, the decline of American elm and American chestnut due to introduced diseases has contributed to its spread. Red maple dominates such sites, but largely disappears until it only has
2268-555: Is easily damaged from ice and storms, animals, and when used in landscaping, being struck by flying debris from lawn mowers, allowing fungi to penetrate and cause heart rot. Its ability to thrive in a large number of habitats is largely due to its ability to produce roots to suit its site from a young age. In wet locations, red maple seedlings produce short taproots with long, well-developed lateral roots; while on dry sites, they develop long taproots with significantly shorter laterals. The roots are primarily horizontal, however, forming in
2349-563: Is lethal. Symptoms occur within one or two days after ingestion and can include depression, lethargy, increased rate and depth of breathing, increased heart rate, jaundice , dark brown urine, colic , laminitis , coma, and death. Treatment is limited and can include the use of methylene blue or mineral oil and activated carbon in order to stop further absorption of the toxin into the stomach, as well as blood transfusions , fluid support, diuretics , and anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C . About 50% to 75% of affected horses die or are euthanized as
2430-489: Is light green and the underside is whitish and can be either glaucous or hairy. The leaf stalks are usually red and are up to 10 cm (4 in) long. The leaves can turn a characteristic brilliant red in autumn, but can also become yellow or orange on some individuals. Soil acidity can influence the color of the foliage and trees with female flowers are more likely to produce orange coloration while male trees produce red. The fall colors of red maple are most spectacular in
2511-546: Is limited exclusively to swamplands. The fruits also vary geographically with northern individuals in areas with brief, frost-free periods producing fruits that are shorter and heavier than their southern counterparts. As a result of such variation, there is much genetic potential for breeding programs with a goal of producing red maples for cultivation. This is especially useful for making urban cultivars that require resistance from verticillium wilt , air pollution, and drought. Red maple frequently hybridizes with silver maple ;
Maple - Misplaced Pages Continue
2592-624: Is most abundant in the Northeastern US, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and northeastern Wisconsin, and is rare in the extreme west of its range and in the Southeastern US. In several other locations, the tree is absent from large areas but still present in a few specific habitats. An example is the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, where red maple is not found in the dominant open plains, but
2673-727: Is not present in most of the Prairie Peninsula of the northern Midwest (although it is found in Ohio), the coastal prairie in southern Louisiana and southeastern Texas and the swamp prairie of the Florida Everglades . Red maple's western range stops with the Great Plains where conditions become too dry for it. The absence of red maple from the Prairie Peninsula is most likely due to the tree's poor tolerance of wildfires. Red maple
2754-403: Is often used as a shade tree for landscapes. It is used commercially on a small scale for maple syrup production and for its medium to high quality lumber. It is also the state tree of Rhode Island. The red maple can be considered weedy or even invasive in young, highly disturbed forests, especially frequently logged forests. In a mature or old-growth northern hardwood forest, red maple only has
2835-489: Is often used for the smoking of food. Charcoal from maples is an integral part of the Lincoln County Process used to make Tennessee whiskey . They are also cultivated as ornamental plants and have benefits for tourism and agriculture . Some of the larger maple species have valuable timber , particularly Sugar maple in North America and Sycamore maple in Europe. Sugar maple wood—often known as "hard maple"—is
2916-426: Is one of the first plants to flower in spring. A crop of seeds is generally produced every year with a bumper crop often occurring every second year. A single tree between 5 and 20 cm (2.0 and 7.9 in) in diameter can produce between 12,000 and 91,000 seeds in a season. A tree 30 cm (0.98 ft) in diameter was shown to produce nearly a million seeds. Red maple produces one of the smallest seeds of any of
2997-451: Is placed in the subfamily Hippocastanoideae . The genus is subdivided by its morphology into a multitude of sections and subsections. Molecular studies incorporating DNA sequence data from both chloroplast and nuclear genomes, aiming to resolve the internal relationships and reconstruct the evolutionairy history of the group, suggest a Late Paleocene origin for the group, appearing first in the northeastern Palearctic. Rapid lineage divergence
3078-644: Is present along streams. Here the red maple is not present in the bottom land forests of the Grain Belt , despite the fact it is common in similar habitats and species associations both to the north and south of this area. In the Northeastern US, red maple can be a climax forest species in certain locations, but will eventually give way to sugar maple. A. rubrum does very well in a wide range of soil types, with varying textures, moisture, pH , and elevation, probably more so than any other forest tree in North America. A. rubrum 's high pH tolerance means that it can grow in
3159-409: Is significant variation in hardiness, size, form, time of flushing, onset of dormancy, and other traits. Generally speaking, individuals from the north flush the earliest, have the most reddish fall color, set their buds the earliest and take the least winter injury. Seedlings are tallest in the north-central and east-central part of the range. In Florida, at the extreme south of the red maple's range, it
3240-457: Is sought for fine woodworking. Some maple wood has a highly decorative wood grain , known as flame maple , quilt maple , birdseye maple and burl wood . This condition occurs randomly in individual trees of several species and often cannot be detected until the wood has been sawn, though it is sometimes visible in the standing tree as a rippled pattern in the bark. These select decorative wood pieces also have subcategories that further filter
3321-499: Is still a fairly hard wood, being comparable to black cherry ( Prunus serotina ) in this regard. Like A. saccharum , the wood of red maple is close-grained, but its texture is softer, less dense, and has not as desirable an appearance, particularly under a clear finish. However, the wood from Acer rubrum while being typically less expensive than hard maple, also has greater dimensional stability than that of A. saccharum , and also machines and stains easier. Thus, high grades of wood from
Maple - Misplaced Pages Continue
3402-518: Is the primary contributor to fall " foliage season " in north-eastern North America . In Japan , the custom of viewing the changing colour of maples in the autumn is called momijigari . Nikkō and Kyoto are particularly favoured destinations for this activity. In Korea, the same viewing activity is called danpung-nori and the Seoraksan and Naejang-san mountains are among the best-known destinations. List of Acer species The following
3483-480: Is the standard maple bat most in use by professional baseball. Maple is also commonly used in archery as the core material in the limbs of a recurve bow due to its stiffness and strength. Maple wood is often graded based on physical and aesthetic characteristics. The most common terminology includes the grading scale from common #2; which is unselected and often used for craft woods; common #1, used for commercial and residential buildings; clear; and select grade, which
3564-409: Is unknown, but believed to be an oxidant because it damages red blood cells , causing acute oxidative hemolysis that inhibits the transport of oxygen . This not only decreases oxygen delivery to all tissues, but also leads to the production of methemoglobin , which can further damage the kidneys. The ingestion of 700 grams (1.5 pounds) of leaves is considered toxic and 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds)
3645-644: Is used in numerous musical instruments . Maple is harder and has a brighter sound than mahogany , which is another major tonewood used in instrument manufacturing. The back, sides, and neck of most violins , violas , cellos , and double basses are made from maple. Electric guitar necks are commonly made from maple, having good dimensional stability. The necks of the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster were originally an entirely maple one piece neck, but later were also available with rosewood fingerboards. Les Paul desired an all maple guitar, but due to
3726-425: Is usually in a few weeks to six months after flowering, with seed dispersal shortly after maturity. However, one tree can release hundreds of thousands of seeds at a time. Depending on the species, the seeds can be small and green to orange and big with thicker seed pods. The green seeds are released in pairs, sometimes with the stems still connected. The yellow seeds are released individually and almost always without
3807-509: The Southern Hemisphere . The type species of the genus is the sycamore maple Acer pseudoplatanus , one of the most common maple species in Europe. Most maples usually have easily identifiable palmate leaves (with a few exceptions, such as Acer carpinifolium , Acer laurinum , and Acer negundo ) and all share distinctive winged fruits . The closest relative of the maples is the small east Asian genus Dipteronia , followed by
3888-640: The Western world . Some delicate cultivars are usually grown in pots and rarely reach heights of more than 50–100 cm. Maples are a popular choice for the art of bonsai . Japanese maple ( Acer palmatum ), trident maple ( A. buergerianum ), Amur maple ( A. ginnala ), field maple ( A. campestre ) and Montpellier maple ( A. monspessulanum ) are popular choices and respond well to techniques that encourage leaf reduction and ramification , but most species can be used. Maple collections, sometimes called aceretums , occupy space in many gardens and arboreta around
3969-566: The hybrid , known as Freeman's maple, Acer × freemanii , is intermediate between the parents. The allergenic potential of red maples varies widely based on the cultivar. The following cultivars are completely male and are highly allergenic, with an OPALS allergy scale rating of 8 or higher: The following cultivars have an OPALS allergy scale rating of 3 or lower; they are completely female trees, and have low potential for causing allergies: The leaves of red maple, especially when dead or wilted, are extremely toxic to horses . The toxin
4050-673: The red maple , also known as swamp maple , water maple , or soft maple , is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest Service recognizes it as the most abundant native tree in eastern North America. The red maple ranges from southeastern Manitoba around the Lake of the Woods on the border with Ontario and Minnesota , east to Newfoundland , south to Florida , and southwest to East Texas . Many of its features, especially its leaves, are quite variable in form. At maturity, it often attains
4131-400: The root systems are typically dense and fibrous, inhibiting the growth of other vegetation underneath them. A few species, notably Acer cappadocicum , frequently produce root sprouts , which can develop into clonal colonies . Maples are distinguished by opposite leaf arrangement. The leaves in most species are palmate veined and lobed, with 3 to 9 (rarely to 13) veins each leading to
SECTION 50
#17328456725254212-435: The 1970s to the 1990s, maple drum kits were a vast majority of all drum kits made, but in recent years, birch has become popular for drums once again. Some of the best drum-building companies use maple extensively throughout their mid-pro range. Maple drums are favored for their bright resonant sound. Certain types of drum sticks are also made from maple. During late winter to early spring in northeastern North America , when
4293-806: The Canadian ice hockey team, the Toronto Maple Leafs . The first attested use of the word was in 1260 as "mapole", and it also appears a century later in Geoffrey Chaucer 's Canterbury Tales , spelled as "mapul". The maple is also a symbol of Hiroshima , ubiquitous in the local meibutsu . The maple leaf appears in the coat of arms of Sammatti , a former municipality of Uusimaa , Finland . Some species of maple are extensively planted as ornamental trees by homeowners, businesses, and municipalities due to their fall colour, relatively fast growth, ease of transplanting, and lack of hard seeds that would pose
4374-470: The Eastern United States, such as sugar maples , beeches , oaks , hemlocks and pines , red maple will only dominate young forests prone to natural or human disturbance. In areas disturbed by humans where the species thrives, it can reduce diversity, but in a mature forest, it is not a dominant species; it only has a sparse presence and adds to the diversity and ecological structure of a forest. Extensive use of red maple in landscaping has also contributed to
4455-703: The United States and Ontario, Canada. Maples are affected by a number of fungal diseases. Several are susceptible to Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium species, which can cause significant local mortality. Sooty bark disease , caused by Cryptostroma species, can kill trees that are under stress due to drought . Death of maples can rarely be caused by Phytophthora root rot and Ganoderma root decay. Maple leaves in late summer and autumn are commonly disfigured by "tar spot" caused by Rhytisma species and mildew caused by Uncinula species, though these diseases do not usually have an adverse effect on
4536-405: The aesthetic looks. Crotch wood, bees wing, cats paw, old growth and mottled are some terms used to describe the look of these decorative woods. Maples have a long history of use for furniture production in the United States. The Cherokee people would produce a purple dye from maple bark, which they used to dye cloth. Maple is considered a tonewood , or a wood that carries sound waves well, and
4617-405: The buds of red maple and other soft maples emerge much earlier in the spring than the sugar maple, and after sprouting chemical makeup of the sap changes, imparting an undesirable flavor to the syrup. This being the case, red maple can only be tapped for syrup before the buds emerge, making the season very short. Native Americans used red maple bark as a wash for inflamed eyes and cataracts, and as
4698-406: The country, with at least one in each province. Although the idea of the tree as a national symbol originally hailed from the province of Quebec where the sugar maple is significant, today's arboreal emblem of Canada rather refers to a generic maple. The design on the flag is an eleven-point stylization modeled after a sugar maple leaf (which normally bears 23 points). It is also in the name of
4779-581: The greenstriped mapleworm ( Dryocampa rubicunda ), can feed on the leaves so much that they cause temporary defoliation of host maple trees. Aphids are also very common sap-feeders on maples. In horticultural applications a dimethoate spray will solve this. Infestations of the Asian long-horned beetle ( Anoplophora glabripennis ) have resulted in the destruction of thousands of maples and other tree species in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio in
4860-433: The growing conditions, however, open-grown trees can attain diameters of up to 153 cm (60 in). The trunk remains free of branches until some distance up the tree on forest grown trees, while individuals grown in the open are shorter and thicker with a more rounded crown. Trees on poorer sites often become malformed and scraggly. Generally the crown is irregularly ovoid with ascending whip-like curved shoots. The bark
4941-520: The largest continuous range along the North American Atlantic Coast of any tree that occurs in Florida. In total it ranges 2,600 km (1,600 mi) from north to south. The species is native to all regions of the United States east of the 95th meridian . The tree's range ends where the −40 °C (−40 °F) mean minimum isotherm begins, namely in southeastern Canada . A. rubrum
SECTION 60
#17328456725255022-589: The leaf development is altogether complete. After they reach maturity, the seeds are dispersed for a 1- to 2-week period from April through July. Acer rubrum is one of the most abundant and widespread trees in eastern North America. It can be found from the south of Newfoundland , through Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , and southern Quebec to the southwest west of Ontario, extreme southeastern Manitoba and northern Minnesota ; southward through Wisconsin , Illinois , Missouri , eastern Oklahoma , and eastern Texas in its western range; and east to Florida . It has
5103-609: The maples. Fertilization has also been shown to significantly increase the seed yield for up to two years after application. The seeds are epigeal and tend to germinate in early summer soon after they are released, assuming a small amount of light, moisture, and sufficient temperatures are present. If the seeds are densely shaded, then germination commonly does not occur until the next spring. Most seedlings do not survive in closed forest canopy situations. However, one- to four-year-old seedlings are common under dense canopy. Though they eventually die if no light reaches them, they serve as
5184-553: The more widespread genus Aesculus (buckeyes and horse-chestnuts). Maple syrup is made from the sap of some maple species. It is one of the most common genera of trees in Asia. Many maple species are grown in gardens where they are valued for their autumn colour and often decorative foliage, some also for their attractive flowers, fruit, or bark. The closest relative of Acer is Dipteronia , which only has two living species in China, but has
5265-560: The most popular. Toward its southern limit, 'Fireburst', 'Florida Flame', and 'Gulf Ember' are preferred. Many cultivars of the Freeman maple are also grown widely. Below is a partial list of cultivars: In the lumber industry Acer rubrum is considered a "soft maple", a designation it shares, commercially, with silver maple ( A. saccharinum ). In this context, the term "soft" is more comparative, than descriptive; i.e., "soft maple", while softer than its harder cousin, sugar maple ( A. saccharum ),
5346-482: The next few years, making it a fast grower. The red maple is used as a food source by several forms of wildlife. Elk and white-tailed deer in particular use the current season's growth of red maple as an important source of winter food. Several Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) utilize the leaves as food, including larvae of the rosy maple moth ( Dryocampa rubicunda ); see List of Lepidoptera that feed on maples. Due to A. rubrum ' s very wide range, there
5427-596: The night-to-day temperatures change from freezing to thawing, maple trees may be tapped for sap to manufacture maple syrup . The sap is sent via tubing to a sugar house where it is boiled to produce syrup or made into maple sugar or maple taffy . It takes about 40 litres (42 US qt) of sugar maple sap to make 1 litre (1.1 US qt) of syrup. While any Acer species may be tapped for syrup, many do not have sufficient quantities of sugar to be commercially useful, whereas sugar maples ( A. saccharum ) are most commonly used to produce maple syrup. Québec, Canada
5508-452: The northern part of its range where climates are cooler. The twigs of the red maple are reddish in color and somewhat shiny with small lenticels . Dwarf shoots are present on many branches. The buds are usually blunt and greenish to reddish in color, generally with several loose scales. The lateral buds are slightly stalked, and in addition, collateral buds may be present, as well. The buds form in fall and winter and are often visible from
5589-420: The red maple can be substituted for hard maple, particularly when it comes to making stain/paint-grade furniture. Red maple lumber also contains a greater percentage of "curly" (aka "flame"/"fiddleback") figure, which is prized by musical instrument/custom furniture makers, as well as the veneer industry. As a soft maple, the wood tends to shrink more during the drying process than with the hard maples. Red maple
5670-413: The south and west sides of upper slopes. Furthermore, it is common in swampy areas, along the banks of slow moving streams, as well as on poorly drained flats and depressions. In northern Michigan and New England , the tree is found on the tops of ridges, sandy or rocky upland and otherwise dry soils, as well as in nearly pure stands on moist soils and the edges of swamps. In the far south of its range, it
5751-685: The stems. Most species require stratification in order to germinate , and some seeds can remain dormant in the soil for several years before germinating. The genus Acer , together with genus Dipteronia , were formerly often classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae , but recent botanical consensus, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, includes them in the family Sapindaceae ; their exclusion from Sapindaceae would leave that family paraphyletic . Within Sapindaceae, Acer
5832-471: The surge in the species' numbers as volunteer seedlings proliferate. Finally, disease epidemics have greatly reduced the population of elms and chestnuts in the forests of the US. While mainline forest trees continue to dominate mesic sites with rich soil, more marginal areas are increasingly being dominated by red maple. Red maple's maximum lifespan is 150 years, but most live less than 100 years. The tree's thin bark
5913-532: The tree's fall foliage is not as vibrant in this environment. Like several other maples, its low root system can be invasive and it makes a poor choice for plantings near paving. It attracts squirrels, who eat its buds in the early spring, although squirrels prefer the larger buds of the silver maple . Red maples make vibrant and colorful bonsai , and have year around attractive features for display. Numerous cultivars have been selected, often for intensity of fall color, with 'October Glory' and 'Red Sunset' among
5994-477: The trees' long-term health. A maple leaf is on the coat of arms of Canada , and is on the Canadian flag . The maple is a common symbol of strength and endurance and has been chosen as the national tree of Canada. Maple leaves are traditionally an important part of Canadian Forces military regalia, for example, the military rank insignia for generals use maple leaf symbols. There are 10 species naturally growing in
6075-526: The twig. They are typically 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and wide with three to five palmate lobes with a serrated margin. The sinuses are typically narrow, but the leaves can exhibit considerable variation. When five lobes are present, the three at the terminal end are larger than the other two near the base. In contrast, the leaves of the related silver maple , A. saccharinum , are much more deeply lobed, more sharply toothed, and characteristically have five lobes. The upper side of A. rubrum ' s leaf
6156-451: The upper 25 cm (9.8 in) of the ground. Mature trees have woody roots up to 25 m (82 ft) long. They are very tolerant of flooding, with one study showing that 60 days of flooding caused no leaf damage. At the same time, they are tolerant of drought due to their ability to stop growing under dry conditions by then producing a second-growth flush when conditions later improve, even if growth has stopped for 2 weeks. A. rubrum
6237-422: The weight of maple, only the tops of Gibson 's Les Paul guitars are made from carved maple, often using quilted or flamed maple tops. Due to its weight, very few solid body guitars are made entirely from maple, but many guitars have maple necks, tops or veneers. Maple is also often used to make bassoons and sometimes for other woodwind instruments like maple recorders. Many drums are made from maple. From
6318-406: The wood of choice for bowling pins, bowling alley lanes, pool and snooker cue shafts , and butcher's blocks . Maple wood is also used for the manufacture of wooden baseball bats , though less often than ash or hickory due to the tendency of maple bats to shatter if they do break. The maple bat was introduced to Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1998 by Sam Bat founder Sam Holman. Today it
6399-772: The world including the "five great W's" in England : Wakehurst Place Garden , Westonbirt Arboretum , Windsor Great Park , Winkworth Arboretum and Wisley Garden . In the United States , the aceretum at the Harvard -owned Arnold Arboretum in Boston is especially notable. In the number of species and cultivars, the Esveld Aceretum in Boskoop, Netherlands , is the largest in the world. Maples are important as sources of syrup and wood. Dried wood
6480-548: Was followed by several independent dispersals to the Nearctic and Western Palearctic regions. Fifty-four species of maples meet the International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria for being under threat of extinction in their native habitat. The leaves are used as a food plant for the larvae of a number of the order Lepidoptera (see List of Lepidoptera that feed on maples). In high concentrations, caterpillars, like
6561-481: Was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1656 and shortly thereafter entered cultivation. There it is frequently found in many parks and yards. Red maple is a good choice of a tree for urban areas when there is ample room for its root system. Forming an association with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi can help A. rubrum grow along city streets. It is more tolerant of pollution and road salt than sugar maples, although
#524475