The characteristics in profile format

The most important things in a nutshell - the red maple at a glance

• Botanical name: Acer rubrum
• Genus: Maples (Acer)
• Family: Soap Tree Family (Sapindaceae)
• Alternative names: swamp maple, scarlet maple
• Origin and distribution: North America
• Location: sunny to partially shaded
• Growth habit: tree
• Height: up to 27 meters, with us between 10 and 15 meters
• Flowering and flowering period: red inflorescences before the leaves shoot
• Leaves: five-lobed, dark green
• Autumn color: intense red
• Fruits: Split fruits, ripen shortly after the leaves shoot
• Propagation: seeds, cuttings
• Winter hardiness: yes
• Toxicity: no
• Usage: ornamental tree

Appearance and special features

In its homeland, the red maple can reach heights of up to 40 meters, but rarely reaches more than 20 meters. In our latitudes, growth is usually complete at a height of between 10 and 15 meters. The loose, not particularly dense crown has a conical shape. The typically silver-gray bark can peel off in places in older specimens, twigs and branches, on the other hand, tend to be gray to reddish-brown depending on age. The up to ten centimeters long, narrow, five-lobed leaves are dark green in summer and intensely yellow, orange or scarlet red in autumn -

depending on the intensity of the sun and location.

The red maple in the garden

Like so many maple species, the red maple prefers a sunny to light partially shaded location with fresh, moist soil. The substrate should be rich in nutrients and have a pH in the slightly acidic to neutral range. Heavy clay soils, on the other hand, are unsuitable, and the red maple does not particularly like calcareous soils. Of the Tree is very hardy, but does not tolerate wind or heat. Therefore, a location with shading over midday makes sense. Young red maples can also be grown in pots, but should either be planted out later or through regular cutbacks be kept in shape.