Description
Red Maple is one of the most widespread maples in North America and is found in central and southern Ontario. It is named after its brilliant red fall foliage along with red twigs, flowers, fruit.
It is a good, fast-growing shade tree, which makes it a great choice for gardens when given enough room for its root system to thrive. Pruning and maintenance may be needed to keep the form of this maple strong. Red maple is known as a “generalist species” because it can tolerate a wide range of soil types and conditions.
Its leaves are 5 to 15 centimeters long, light green on top and paler underneath, turning bright red in the fall. Its bark is smooth and has a light gray colour to it. As the tree matures, this bark becomes a greyish-brown colour with scaly and ridged texture.
Maple keys from the Red Maple are a great source of food for squirrels, rabbits and other animals in the urban ecosystem so planting this tree would benefit local wildlife greatly.
Though the Red Maple has a shallow root system, make sure you choose a location with enough room for the roots to extend to ensure the tree thrives and stays healthy.
| Red Maple Facts and Features | |
| Mature Size | 12 - 21 m. (40 - 65 ft.) |
| Sun/Shade | Full Sun/Partial Shade |
| Moisture | Grows best in moist soil, but can tolerate different moisture levels. |
| Soil | Grows in a variety of soils. |
| Flowers | No |
| Fruit | No |
| Special Features | Brilliant fall colours. Excellent shade tree. |
