Acer rubrum
Red maple | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Sapindaceae |
Genus: | Acer |
Section: | Acer sect. Rubra |
Species: | A. rubrum
|
Binomial name | |
Acer rubrum | |
Synonyms[3] | |
List
|
Acer rubrum, the red maple, also known as swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous
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 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 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.[5]
Description
Though A. rubrum is sometimes easy to identify, it is highly changeable in morphological characteristics. It 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 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.[6] Generally the crown is irregularly ovoid with ascending whip-like curved shoots. The bark 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.[7] 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).[8]
The
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 a distance due to their large size and reddish tint. The leaf scars on the twig are V-shaped and contain three bundle scars.[6]
The
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.[6] They ripen from April through early June, before even 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.[8]
Distribution and habitat
Acer rubrum is one of the most abundant and widespread trees in eastern North America. It can be found from the south of
In several other locations, the tree is absent from large areas but still present in a few specific habitats. An example is the
A. rubrum does very well in a wide range of soil types, with varying textures, moisture,
Red maple can grow in a variety of moist and dry biomes, from dry ridges and sunny, southwest-facing slopes to
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.[8] 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 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.[16] 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 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 the Eastern United States, such as
Ecology
Red maple's maximum lifespan is 150 years, but most live less than 100 years. The tree's thin bark 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.[8] 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 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.[8]
A. rubrum 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.[8] Red maple produces one of the smallest seeds of any of the maples.[15] 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 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 is able to increase its numbers significantly when associate trees are damaged by disease, cutting, or fire. One study found that 6 years after
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 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 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.[8]
Red maple frequently hybridizes with
Allergenic potential
The allergenic potential of red maples varies widely based on the cultivar.
The following cultivars are completely
- 'Autumn Flame' ('Flame')
- 'Autumn Spire'
- 'Columnare' ('Pyramidale')
- 'Firedance' ('Landsburg')
- 'Karpick'
- 'Northwood'
- 'October Brilliance'
- 'Sun Valley'
- 'Tiliford'
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:[18]
- 'Autumn Glory'
- 'Bowhall'
- 'Davey Red'
- 'Doric'
- 'Embers'
- 'Festival'
- 'October Glory'
- 'Red Skin'
- 'Red Sunset' ('Franksred')
Toxicity
The leaves of red maple, especially when dead or wilted, are extremely
Cultivation
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 was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1656 and shortly thereafter entered cultivation. There it is frequently found in many parks and yards.[7]
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.
Red maples make vibrant and colorful bonsai, and have year around attractive features for display.[22]
Cultivars
Numerous
- 'Armstrong' – Columnar to fastigate in shape with silvery bark and modest orange to red fall foliage.
- 'Autumn Blaze' – Rounded oval form with leaves that resemble the silver maple. The fall color is orange red and persists longer than usual.
- 'Autumn Flame' – A fast grower with exceptional bright red fall color developing early. The leaves are also smaller than the species.
- 'Autumn Radiance' – Dense oval crown with an orange-red fall color.
- 'Autumn Spire' – Broad columnar crown; red fall color; very hardy.
- 'Bowhall' – Conical to upright in form with a yellow-red fall color.
- 'Burgundy Bell' – Compact rounded uniform shape with long lasting, burgundy fall leaves.
- 'Columnare' – An old cultivar growing to 20 metres (66 feet) with a narrow columnar to pyramidal form with dark green leaves turning orange and deep red in fall.
- 'Gerling' – A compact, slow growing selection, this individual only reaches 10 metres (33 feet) and has orange-red fall foliage.
- 'Northwood' – Branches are at a 45 degree angle to the trunk, forming a rounded oval crown. Though the foliage is deep green in summer, its orange-red fall color is not as impressive as other cultivars.
- 'October Brilliance' – This selection is slow to leaf in spring, but has a tight crown and deep red fall color.
- 'October Glory' – Has a rounded oval crown with late developing intense red fall foliage. Along with 'Red Sunset', it is the most popular selection due to the dependable fall color and vigorous growth. This cultivar has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[25]
- 'Redpointe' – Superior in alkaline soil, strong central leader, red fall color.
- 'Red Sunset' – is also a recipient of the Award of Garden Merit.[26] The other very popular choice, this selection does well in heat due to its drought tolerance and has an upright habit. It has very attractive orange-red fall color and is also a rapid and vigorous grower.
- 'Scarlet Sentinel' – A columnar to oval selection with 5-lobed leaves resembling the silver maple. The fall color is yellow-orange to orange-red and the tree is a fast grower.
- 'Schlesingeri' – A tree with a broad crown and early, long lasting fall color that is a deep red to reddish purple. Growth is also quite rapid. The original tree grew at the home of Barthold Schlesinger in Brookline, Massachusetts.[27]
- 'Shade King' – This fast growing cultivar has an upright-oval form with deep green summer leaves that turn red to orange in fall.
- 'V.J. Drake' – This selection is notable because the edges of the leaves first turn a deep red before the color progresses into the center.
Other uses
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), 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 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.[citation needed]
Red maple 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, 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.[8]
Native Americans used red maple bark as a wash for inflamed eyes and cataracts, and as a remedy for hives and muscular aches. They also would brew tea from the inner bark to treat coughs and diarrhea. Pioneers made cinnamon-brown and black dyes from a bark extract, and iron sulphate could be added to the tannin from red maple bark in order to make ink.[28]
Red maple is a medium quality firewood,) , than other hardwoods such as ash: 7.0 GJ/m3 (24 million British thermal units per cord), oak: 7.0 GJ/m3 (24 million British thermal units per cord), or birch: 6.1 GJ/m3 (21 million British thermal units per cord).
See also
References
- . Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ NatureServe (2 June 2023). "Acer rubrum". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Acer rubrum L.". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
- ^ Nix, Steve. "Ten Most Common Trees in the United States". About.com Forestry. Archived from the original on 19 June 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ^ Stevens, William K. (27 April 1999). "Eastern Forests Change Color As Red Maples Proliferate". New York Times. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ a b c d Seiler, John R.; Jensen, Edward C.; Peterson, John A. "Acer rubrum Fact Sheet". Virginia Tech Dendrology Tree Fact Sheets. Virginia Tech. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ ISBN 0-00-219213-6.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Walters, R. S.; Yawney, H. W. (1990). "Acer rubrum". In Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H. (eds.). Hardwoods. Silvics of North America. Vol. 2. Washington, D.C.: United States Forest Service (USFS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 9 May 2007 – via Southern Research Station.
- ^ Gilman, Edward F.; Watson, Dennis G.; Klein, Ryan W.; Koeser, Andrew K.; Hilbert, Deborah R.; McLean, Drew C. "Acer rubrum: Red Maple" (PDF). Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, University of Florida. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
- JSTOR 2444057.
- ^ Hilty, John (2020). "Red Maple (Acer rubrum)". Illinois Wildflowers. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Goertz, D. "Acer rubrum plant description". Northern Ontario Plant Database. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
- ^ Campbell, J. (1985). The Land of Cane and Clover: Pre-settlement Vegetation in the So-called Bluegrass Region of Kentucky (Report). Lexington: The Herbarium, University of Kentucky. p. 25. Unpublished manuscript.
- S2CID 84557378.
- ^ a b Miller, J.H., & Miller, K.V. (1999). Forest plants of the southeast and their wildlife uses. Champaign, IL: Kings Time Printing.
- ^ Oaster, Brian (21 October 2020). "Native land management could save us from wildfires, experts say". Street Roots. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- JSTOR 1313374.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-60774-491-7.
- ^ Goetz, R. J. "Red Maple Toxicity". Indiana Plants Poisonous to Livestock and Pets. Purdue University. Archived from the original on May 5, 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
- ^ Appleton, Bonnie; Koci, Joel (2003). "Mycorrhizal Fungal Inoculation of Established Street Trees". Journal of Arboriculture. 29 (2): 107–110.
- JSTOR 2424082.
- ^ D'Cruz, Mark. "Acer Rubrum Bonsai Care Guide". Ma-Ke Bonsai. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ^ Evans, E. "Select Acer rubrum Cultivars". North Carolina State University.
- ^ Gilman, E. F.; Watson, Dennis G. "Acer rubrum 'Gerling'". University of Florida.
- ^ "RHS Plant Selector Acer rubrum 'October Glory' AGM / RHS Gardening". Apps.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
- ^ "Acer rubrum Red Sunset ('Franksred')". RHS. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Dosmann, Michael S. (2009). "Autumn's Harbinger: Acer rubrum 'Schlesingeri'". Arnoldia. 67 (2): 32–33. Retrieved 6 June 2023 – via Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
- ^ Nesom, Guy (24 May 2006). "Plant Guide: Red Maple, Acer rubrum L." (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Michael Kuhns and Tom Schmidt (n.d.). "Heating With Wood: Species Characteristics and Volumes". UtahState University Cooperative Extension. Archived from the original on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2009-09-02.