Red Maple
Acer rubrum · Sapindaceae (Soapberry family, traditionally placed in Aceraceae)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf
Shape
Palmate-lobed with typically 3 to 5 triangular lobes
Margin
Serrate or doubly serrate (coarsely toothed margins along the lobes)
Arrangement
Opposite arrangement along the twig
Venation
Palmate venation with prominent primary veins radiating from the base of the leaf blade
Key Features
Opposite leaf arrangement, 3 to 5 lobed leaves with sharply toothed margins, V-shaped leaf sinuses, red-tinted petioles, and bright red autumn coloration
Description
The Red Maple is one of the most abundant and widespread deciduous trees in eastern North America. Renowned for its brilliant scarlet autumn foliage, it features smooth gray bark on younger trunks that becomes ridged and scaly with age. It produces small red flowers in early spring before the leaves emerge, followed by paired winged samaras.
Habitat
Extremely versatile, found in both wet bottomlands, swamps, and along stream banks, as well as drier upland sites across varied forest types
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, stretching from southeastern Canada down to Florida and Texas