Red Maple

LEAVES: Opposite, simple, with 3-5 shallow lobes, coarsely toothed, light green above, pale green to whitish beneath, turning brilliant red or orange in autumn.

TWIGS: Slender, glossy, at first green, later red.

FRUIT: Wings usually less than 1″ long, spreading at a narrow angle, red to brown, maturing in May or June.

BARK: Smooth and light gray on young trunks and branches, older trunks darker, shaggy and roughened with long, irregular peeling flakes.

GENERAL: Found throughout Pennsylvania in a wide variety of habitats, typically reaching 50′ high, it grows best in wet soils, sometimes over 100′. Also known as Soft maple because its wood is not as hard as Sugar maple, this is an excellent ornamental tree. Young trees are heavily browsed by deer and rabbits; rodents consume the seeds.