Acer rubrum (Red Maple)

Acer rubrum

Red Maple, Swamp Maple, Soft Maple

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Sapindales	Includes citrus; maples, horse-chestnuts, lychees and rambutans; mangos and cashews; frankincense and myrrh; mahogany and neem
Family	Sapindaceae	Soapberry family
Genus	Acer	Maples
Species	rubrum	Red: red maples have red flowers and predominantly red leaves in the fall

About plant names...

Red maple, named for its bright red fall foliage, is a widespread North American native tree.

Identification: The three-tipped leaves distinguish these trees from other maples. Moose maples have somewhat similar leaves, but they are larger and rounded on the bottom. Leaves are bright red to orange-red in the fall. Trees are up to 90' (27 m) high, and up to 30" (76 cm) in diameter. Crown is more conical in shape at first, becoming more oval-shaped as the tree matures. Smooth pale gray bark becomes somewhat scaly and raised as the tree ages. Leaves are 3½-4½" (8.9-11 cm) long, and about the same in width. Flowers are red. Fruits are two-winged samaras; each wing is ½-⅞" (1.5-2.5 cm) long. They form an angle of 50-60°.

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones Red maple is very toxic to horses, causing some deaths. Presumably they are unsafe for people as well.

Online References:

Acer rubrum on Earl J.S. Rook's Flora, Fauna, Earth, and Sky ... The Natural History of the Northwoods

Acer rubrum at the Ohio State University Horticulture & Crop Science site

Acer rubrum on Wikipedia

Acer rubrum at the University of Connecticut Plant Database

Acer rubrum on Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Acer rubrum at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Acer rubrum on Erv Evans' site at the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

4/13/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 4 × 3" (10 × 7.6 cm)

5/27/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, MA
≈ 6 × 6" (16 × 15 cm)

10/31/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

5/13/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 4 × 6" (10 × 15 cm)

10/31/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 15 × 10" (39 × 26 cm)

5/27/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, MA
≈ 11 × 7" (27 × 18 cm) ID is tentative or incomplete

10/3/2008 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, MA
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

Acer rubrum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 17 Apr 2012.

9/28/2011 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, MA
≈ 21 × 31" (52 × 78 cm)

10/15/2006 · Bedford, NH

4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, MA
≈ 2½ × 2½" (7.1 × 6.6 cm) ID is tentative or incomplete

5/13/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 4½ × 6" (11 × 14 cm)

Flowers appear prior to any leaves. · 4/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 3½ × 2½" (9.8 × 6.6 cm) ID is tentative or incomplete

3/21/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, MA

5/2/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 6 × 4½" (15 × 11 cm)

9/25/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

5/2/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, MA
≈ 4½ × 3" (11 × 7.9 cm)

Range:

About this map...