The red maple is a wide-ranging native tree in the Eastern half of the United States. In Maryland, red maples flower between January until mid-March. Their signature red buds signal the beginning of the new growing season.
Red maples can produce all female flowers, all male flowers, or a combination of both – and the flowers appear before the leaves. Male flowers have long stamens that extend beyond the petals of the flower, while female flowers have stigmas that extend past the petals, ready to catch pollen. The female red maple flower is the flower that produces fruit.
The red maple’s fruit is a red, winged seed called samaras, also known as spinners or helicopters. Samaras disperse in Spring before the leaves are fully developed.
The red maple is important to the biology of bees and other pollen-dependent insects because it is one of the earliest blooming trees, and is an abundant and widely distributed species. The red maple’s flowers, buds, and seeds are all eaten by a variety of wildlife.
This tree is a host for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including the rosy maple moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) and cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia). In turn, those caterpillars are an early Spring food source for birds.
Red maples can be used as a specimen or shade tree in the yard, but don’t plant it too close to sidewalks or driveways, as this tree has a shallow root system, which may cause buckling of pavement.
Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.
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