Red Maple

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

Identification

Leaves, like all Maples, are arranged opposite each other. They are dark green on top when mature and typically show three v-shaped lobes but can have more, margins are finely toothed, and the bottom side is paler than the top. Bark changes appearance with age but maintains a cool gray color. Older bark near the base of mature trees has a striped texture while younger branches have a more unified and smooth texture.

Examples:

Mature leaves of the Red Maple.

NPS Photo/ W. Kaselow

Female flowers of the Red Maple.

Ellen G. Denny via SmugMug CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Male Flowers of the Red Maple.

Ellen G. Denny via SmugMug CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Fruit of the Red Maple.

NPS Photo/ M. Jones

Young leaves of the Red Maple.

Ellen G Denny via SmugMug CC BY-NC-SA