Acer rubrum
Red Maple
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Red Maple is a medium-sized, cold-tolerant deciduous tree. It has attractive, bright red fall foliage. Clusters of red flowers, which bloom...
Description:
Red Maple is a medium-sized, cold-tolerant deciduous tree. It has attractive, bright red fall foliage. Clusters of red flowers, which bloom March-April, are followed by red maple fruits (double-winged samaras). Nectar from the flowers is a valuable food source for native bees and honeybees. This wildlife-friendly species is a host for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) and Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia). The caterpillars provide an early spring food source for birds. Use as a specimen or shade tree in the yard, but not too close to sidewalks or driveways, since this tree has a shallow root system, which may cause buckling of pavement.
Plant Details:
Other Common Names: Swamp Maple, Scarlet Maple
Plant Type: Tree
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Spring
Bloom Colors: Red
Deer Resistance: Some
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Low to None
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy, Clay
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 35 - 80 ft
Spread: 25 - 70 ft
Growth Rate: Fast