Red maple leaves don’t have deep indentations between the lobes like sugar maple trees. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Red maple has a paler, almost whitish shade of green on its undersides as opposed to the dull green above. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Ohio Trees Index. Maples have a reputation for providing striking autumn colors, but their spring and summer colors in some cases identify them. A Connecticut native, his work specializes in sports, fishing and nature. Red Maple trees have an erect, single trunk. Samaras are also distinctive. Red maple has a highly variable leaf shape, and some can look similar to sugar maple, but they are easily distinguished by serrations and the color of the leaf underside. Though the red maple leaf is easy to identify by its color in the autumn, it is a dull green throughout the growing season. John Lindell has written articles for "The Greyhound Review" and various other online publications. If the leaf margin, or edge, of your maple's leaves appear serrated, it is probably a red maple. Samaras are also distinctive. The leaves of mountain maple and striped maple typically have three lobes, but they do not have deep indentations along the lobes, so they resemble the shape of a duck’s webbed foot. The bark is smooth and light gray on young- and intermediate-aged stems, while mature bark is dark gray and rough. The vine maple is another maple with an odd-shaped leaf, featuring from seven to nine pointy lobes arranged in a formation that resembles a fan. The red maple’s lobes, meanwhile, are separated by serrated, V-shaped valleys. Though A. rubrum is usually easy to identify, it is highly changeable in morphological characteristics. Red Maple Tree Identification. Photo © Parks Canada / Parcs Canada / Cape Breton / Cap-Breton. Roughly toothed: The red maple has a slightly smaller leaf than most other species, with its most distinctive feature being a rough, saw-like edge. The leaf is 9-11 cm (3.5 - 4.3 in) long and wide. Although it grows largest in and near swamps, it abounds in New England forests and is becoming more common as sugar maple begins to … Lindell worked in greyhound racing for 25 years. The leaf-margin is serrated. The red maple’s bright, fiery red fall foliage makes it stand out from the ordinary. The vine maple usually has hints of red to go with the predominant green color of the leaf. This species grows 30 to 90 feet tall and up to 4 feet in diameter. Samaras bright red, usually well-formed when leaves are leafing out. Red Sunset is a red maple cultivar with superior fall color and good branch structure. The leaf of red maple is summer green with 3-5 palmate lobes. The 3 most popular type of maple trees are Maple Sugar, Red maple and Japanese Maple. This tree was declared champion in 1997 by American Forests and is listed in the National Register of Big Trees as being 141' tall and just over 7' in diameter at 4½' above ground. All Rights Reserved. It derived its name from its leaves, twigs, and seeds which display an affectionate red in varying degrees. Pests. The form of the maple leaf on the Canadian flag is familiar to most people, but trying to identify all maple tree leaves from that one outline poses problems. Underside of mature leaves similar in color or only slightly lighter than top. The depth of lobe indentation on maple leaves can aid in recognizing individual species. One is the boxelder, a type of maple with compound leaves—multiple leaflets growing on one stem to form one leaf. It typically grows 40-60’ tall with a rounded to oval crown. If the leaf margin, or edge, of your maple's leaves appear serrated, it is probably a red maple. Flowers while leafing out. Gallic acid and tannins from A. rubrumleaves have been implicated as the toxic compounds responsible for Red Maple Toxicosis (Boyer et al, 2002), but this study found that pyrogallol is a more potent inducer of methemoglobinemia. Some, such as the Florida maple, have a small diameter, in the 2- to 3-inch range. Flowers well before leafing out. Reds Maple leaves are simpleSimple Leaf: A leaf with a single undivided blade, as opposed to a compound leaf, which is one that is divided to the midrib, with distinct, expanded portions called leaflets., meaning that … Flowers more erect, vibrant red with some yellow. The back side of red maple leaves are a very pale green or even white color. The leaf drop may appear heavy but serious injury to a healthy tree is rare. The Red Maple is botanically called Acer rubrum . The leaves are lobed and the flowers are red. It grows faster than Norway and … The leaves are opposite, with 3-5 palmate lobes and toothed margins on long red stems. red maple Aceraceae Acer rubrum L. symbol: ACRU Leaf: Opposite, simple, 3 to 5 palmate lobes with serrated margin, sinuses relatively shallow (but highly variable), 2 to 4 inches long; green above, whitened and sometimes glaucous or hairy beneath. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Heights of 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18.5 m.) with a width of 25 to 35 feet (7.5 to 10.5 m.) in cultivation, but may reach over 100 feet (30.5 m.) in the wild Bright red, yellow, and orange fall color Red flowers and fruit Leaves green and glabrous below except for a few hairs on the veins, lobes of leaves acute: Acer saccharum ssp. The leaves of mountain maple and striped maple typically have three lobes, but they do not have deep indentations along the lobes, so they resemble the shape of a duck’s webbed foot. In winter, buds are easily distinguished. The leaf margins tell the main story: sugar maples have smooth edges while red maples are toothed or serrated. Size is an important consideration when identifying maple leaves. Maples have a reputation for providing striking autumn colors, but their spring and summer colors in some cases identify them. The Tree is a deciduous tree, it will be up to 20 m (66 ft) high. The leaf edges have small, sharp teeth. The twigs and buds of Red Maple trees are reddish. Red maple has a paler, almost whitish shade of green on its undersides as opposed to the dull green above. Red Maple leaves generally turn red in the fall. Side buds much smaller than terminal buds and angled in the direction of the twig. Red Maple Tree Varieties. The silver maple has a dull green shade on its upper side, but the underneath of the leaf takes on a silver-white hue. Buds conspicuous, plump, rounded, and red; side buds as large as terminal buds, and angled outward. Identify the red maple tree by its leaves, which are 2 to 6 inches wide with three to five shallow lobes. Leaf blades > 9 cm long, bark brown-black: Acer saccharum ssp. In the fall, they’re easily recognizable by their bright red leaves. In some areas it can be invasive, so check first with your local extension office before planting. In the summer, they’ll be light green with a whitish underside. 1. Identification of the Red Maple: Like other maples, the branches of Red Maples are opposite; and they have opposite, lobed leaves. Most lobed maple leaves have a palmate shape, meaning they look like a hand with the fingers spread apart, their lobes representing fingers. Winter buds, clusters of small winter spring flowers, leaf stems, twigs, and winged summer fruits are all reddish colored. It normally grows 80 to 110 feet in height, but 150-foot specimens have been known. The nation's largest Red Maple lies far to the south of Rhode Island in Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The most abundant tree species in North America, and a habitat generalist, native to a wide range across the eastern part of the continent. Samaras green with large round seeds; not yet formed when tree is leafing out. "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees"; Elbert Little; 2008, "Trees of North America"; C. Frank Brockman; 1996. Acer rubrum, commonly called red maple, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree that is native to Eastern North America from Quebec to Minnesota south to Florida and eastern Texas. Red maples have pale gray bark that is thinner than sugar maples. The leaves turn deep red in the fall. Red maple has a highly variable leaf shape, and some can look similar to sugar maple, but they are easily distinguished by serrations and the color of the leaf underside. The vine maple usually has hints of red to go with the predominant green color of the leaf. Often grown for its unique 7-palmed green or red colored leaf, the maple also has an interesting growth habit, with a fine leaf texture and muscular-looking multiple trunks. The most widespread maple in eastern North America and … Key— … Red maple takes its common name from its reddish buds that swell in spring, its red leaf petioles in summer, and its brilliant red foliage in fall. Varieties of Maple Trees The form of the maple leaf on the Canadian flag is familiar to most people, but trying to identify all maple tree leaves from that one outline poses problems. The “National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees” ascertains that the silver maple has deeply indented lobes. The leaf shape can vary greatly within the species. Size is an important consideration when identifying maple leaves. The \"Embers\" and \"Flame\" varieties have especially vibrant fall colors in both leaves and fruit. A shade-tolerant deciduous tree of the northeast, often associated with climax communities on rich, mesic sites. Identification: Black spots that range in size from a pin-prick to size of a half dollar (4 cm).Some reports say that the spots can get as big as two inches. Red maple leaves grow to be two to six inches wide, with three lobes. In comparison, the Field Maple leaves have no teeth and the Norway Maples leaves have very few. Crushed twigs do not emit a rank odor as does the silver maple. Others, including silver maple, stretch some 6 or 7 inches across from side to side. Buds more discrete, sharply pointed, and brown. Identifying a tree as a red maple (Table 3.2, Figure 3.4) is done from the leaves by observing the 3 lobes (occasionally 5), the paired opposite arrangement of the leaves and the small teeth along the margin; from the bark of older trees by the presence of the scaly plates; from the twig by observing the paired opposite arrangement of the buds, the relatively short, blunt, rounded, red terminal bud and the lack of … Compared to other maples, sugar maples color unevenly in the fall; sometimes yellows, oranges, and reds are all seen at the same time. Most of the 13 native species of maples in North America do have somewhat similar foliage, but variations in theirs sizes, shapes and colors do occur. Obovate describes a tear-shaped leaf where the tapered end is at the stalk; Lanceolate is a leaf shape that looks like the tip of a lance; Acute leaf shapes are elongated and slightly oval and have a pointed tip; Rhomboid leaves are triangular-shaped leaves that may or may not have tooth edgings The star of eastern North American fall foliage viewing and principle source of maple syrup. The leaf stalk shrivels, turns black, and the leaf blade falls off. The Amur maple is one of the smaller trees in the Acer genus. The leaves of A. rubrum, especially when wilted in the fall, cause severe oxidative damage to equine erythrocytes, leading to potentially fatal methemoglobinemia. The tips of the lobes are narrowly pointed. Leaf stalk borer and petiole borer cause the same type of injury. The trunk diameter often ranges from 46 to 88 cm (18 to 35 in); depending on the growing conditions, however, open grown trees can attain diamet… To do this, begin by counting lobes of leaves. It is a medium to large sized tree, reaching heights of 27 to 38 metres (90 to 120 ft) and exceptionally over 41 metres (135 feet) in the southern Appalachians where conditions favor its growth. The leaves are usually 9 to 11 centimetres (3 ⁄2 to 4 ⁄4 in) long on a full-grown tree. The tree likes Sun at the location and the soil should be loamy-sandy to loamy. At first the twigs are green but later in the year they turn a red. nigrum or Acer nigrum (black maple) 8. The glossy green leaves persist on the tree turning orange-red to brilliant red in the fall. Some maples have leaves that do not own the typical look associated with the species. During Autumn, leaves turn a bright red or an bright orange. Maple Tree Leaf Identification The red maple is usually a medium-sized tree with a moderate growth rate. ‘Swamp Maple’ and ‘Soft Maple’ are the other names for this maple species, and it is called Acer rubrum scientifically. Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus.The leaf has 5 tooth-edged lobes. saccharum or Acer saccharum (sugar maple) 8. Leaves: The leaves of the Red Maple are very roughly toothed with 3-5 shallow lobes. The leaves have three or five lobes with serrated edges. Caused By: Fungi that tends to hide in leaf debris.Specific species include Rhytisma acerinum, R. americanum, and R. Once established, it will have some drought resistance. Red maple trees can grow to be 90 feet tall. Boxelders have a long stem with three to seven shallowly lobed smaller leaflets attached. Acer rubrum (Red Maple) is a deciduous tree native to northeastern North America and commonly found near pastures. Fuzzy: If your maple tree has a soft white coating on the underside of the leaf, it is almost certainly a silver maple. Maple sugar, red maple have typically 5 lobes and Japanese maple between 5 to 7 lobes. Maple Tree Tar Spot. The silver maple has a dull green shade on its upper side, but the underneath of the leaf takes on a silver-white hue. Both insects bore into the leaf stalk just below the leaf blade. The leaf edges are smooth. Most of the Red Maple leaves are a light or a pale green to a whitish. The culture of these trees is probably similar to Red maple. Like other maples, the branches of Red Maples are opposite, meaning that the branches are directly across, or opposite, each from other. The three lobes of a sugar maple’s leaf are separated by smooth, U-shaped valleys – think U as in sUgar. Red Maple leaves generally have three major lobes, sometimes with two additional smaller lobes near the base of the leaf. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Red maple tree (Acer rubrum) varieties have distinctive palmate-shaped, green foliage that turns brilliant shades of red in fall. The sugar maple has either three or five lobes, the silver maple always has five, and the red maple and chalk maple foliage may have three or five lobes. One is the boxelder, a type of maple with compound leaves—multiple leaflets growing on one stem to form one leaf. Japanese maples have extraordinary fall colors that range from bright yellow through orange and red, and is often striking, even on trees grown in total shade. The red maple has a slightly smaller leaf than most other species of maples. Underside of mature leaves sometimes much lighter in color than top. Flower: Attractive but small, occur in hanging clusters, usually bright red but occasionally yellow, appear in early spring, usually before leaves. Red maple Bay laurel The red maple leaf is perhaps the most recognizable leaf shape in the entire world, simply because it's the emblem of Canada, and this tree grows widely within North America. Flowers dangling, yellow-green. 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