Synonyms: Acer rubrum var. triloba.
Red Maple is common throughout Maryland and widespread in a range of wet to xeric forest and woodland habitats. It often dominates in swamps and other wetlands and in successional forests, and has become dominant in the understory of various oak and hickory forests due to suppression of fire and other disturbance (Weakley, et al., 2012).
Red Maple has "one of the widest latitudinal ranges of any North American tree" (Sibley, 2009), occurring from southern Newfoundland to Minnesota, south to Texas and Florida. Red Maple and Silver Maple are considered "soft maples", because their wood is not as hard as that of the other native maples.
Reddish twigs and buds, reddish flowers, and red-tinged fruits distinguish this tree from other native maples. Also distinctive are the highly toothed edges of the leaves, which are typically three-lobed. The fruits (samaras) are about 1 inch long (much smaller than those of Silver Maple) and the wings are only slightly divergent (Sibley, 2009).
Host plant for various moth species including Maple Tip Borer Moth, Serviceberry Leafroller Moth, Maple Bud Borer Moth, Maple Trumpet Skeletonizer Moth, Banded Tussock Moth, Retarded Dagger Moth, Red-bordered Emerald, Pale Beauty Moth, and American Dagger Moth (Gilligan, Wright, & Gibson, 2008).
There are 1,265 records in the project database.
| GA | AL | WA | FR | CL | MO | HO | BA | BC | HA | CE | PG | AA | CV | CH | SM | KE | QA | CN | TA | DO | WI | SO | WO |
