Red Maple Tree

Facts about Red Maple Trees, "Scientific name for Red Maple Tree is Acer rubrum". Red Maple Tree is one of the fast growers in the Maple trees category with a strong wood. Red Maple Tree can easily reach a height of 75 feet (22.86 meters) and spread up to 25 to 35 feet (7.62 to 10.66 meters) horizontally. They need to be consistently irrigated if planted in a comparatively dry prone soil. Otherwise, wet soils are ideal for them. Lack of water supply may affect its height also. the Red Maple Tree grow shorter. When a site needs a fast growing Maple, these are preferred to Silver Maples. When Red Maple is planted, plants grown from the local seeds are given preference as the parent tree already have shown survival in that certain soil conditions.

Uses of Red Maple Tree

Mostly used as Bonsai, Red Maple Trees are mostly planted in buffer strips in parking lots and highways. The Red Maple Tree may also fulfill the purpose of shade tree and reclamation plant. For gardening purpose, they can be planted along lawns of 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) wide.

Trunk and Branches of Red Maple Tree

The Red Maple Tree bark is strong, but thin. Hence, mechanical damage may be an issue. The plant should be grown as a single leader. The Red Maple Tree needs pruning in its early growing stage for a stronger structure. The twig is gray or reddish in color.

Branches of Red Maple Tree grow upwards through a crown that forms poor attachment to the trunk. These need to be removed in nursery to prevent branch failure in its adult stage.

Foliage of Red Maple Tree

While the leaf arrangement is opposite, it is of 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) wide, lobed and serrate. The greenish leaf changes to reddish yellow color during the fall.

Culture of Red Maple Tree

The more sun the it gets, the stronger the Red Maple Tree grows. It can tolerate acidic, sandy and clay soils. Care to be given towards the salt concentration in the soil, as the Red Maple Tree is extremely sensitive to salty soils. It is easily transplanted as it develops surface roots upon doing so.

You can tell a Red Maple Trees age by the number of growth rings inside. Growth rings size shows what kind of conditions accrued that year, the temperature and if it was a dry or wet year.
Bark of the Red Maple Tree protects it from the elements and is made up of dead cells.
Red Maple Tree roots usually grow two to three times the width of the tree branches. The ideal time to fertilize your Red Maple Tree is in late fall or early spring. If you want to transplant a tree do it in fall, this is ideal for most trees.
A Full grown Red Maple Tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds (21.77 kg) of carbon dioxide a year. The same Red Maple Tree could also produce enough oxygen in a day for two people. In a single day, a large Red Maple Tree can drink up to 100 gallons (378.5 liter) of water from the ground and discharge it into the air.

Red Maple Tree growth is referred to as Meristem (The undifferentiated embryonic plant tissue from which new cells are created, as that at the tip of a root or stem). This tissue can be found at the tips of shoots and leaves. Inside the stem growth in thickness occurs at the vascular cambium.
Red Maple Trees make their own food from sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients from the soil.