Acer rubrum

Acer rubrum
Red Maple Aceraceae

Located on left side of small lake, across from old chemistry building.

leaves opposite, usually 3-lobes (may be 5-lobed with two small basal lobes and 3 large primary lobes)
leaves dark green, becoming bright red to yellow in fall
leaves have toothed margins and sinuses (sinuses of A. saccharinum leaves are smooth)
leaves have sinuses that are not dissected as deeply as A. saccharinum
stems smooth, green to red-brown, with lenticels; no smell when bruised
stems are not markedly pendulous, as with A. saccharinum
buds imbricate, usually red, corollary flower buds clustered around stem nodes, rounded
flowers red, with petals, in earliest spring before leaves
fruit is a schizocarp, with red-brown samaras that split at an acute angle
fruit drops in early summer, thus none are present on tree in fall
bark smooth and gray when young; dark gray and rough with ridges when old
habit is a medium to large tree with an irregular oval-rounded crown
plants often have a symmetric pyramidal habit when young, especially with newer cultivars

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