Red Maple / Acer rubrum
Family: Maple / Aceraceae
Characteristics: Red Maple is a deciduous tree with medium texture, medium growth rate, and an oblong to oval form. It is widely used in landscaping because it has good site tolerance. The bark is smooth and light-gray. Clusters of small red flowers appear in February and are followed by winged fruit in March. Fall color is variable yellow to red.
Landscape uses: Use Red Maple as a shade tree in moist soils and full sun. However, it will adapt to hot dry locations when irrigated. Red Maple is easy to transplant and tolerates wet soils. Surface roots are common as the plant ages.
Size: 40 to 50 feet high with a spread of 25 to 35 feet
Zones: 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. The map shown on each slide shows, in dark green, the cold hardiness zones in which the plant is commonly found.
Habitat: Low-lying areas and swamps, always in association with water.
Native to: Canada to the middle of the Florida peninsula and west to Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Comments: Because this tree has such a wide range, its origin is very important. In other words, don't plant a red maple from New England in Georgia, because it may not adapt to the South's heat and humidity. Some cultivars have been overused and are now subject to diseases and insects.