Red maple (Acer rubrum)

Form

Medium-sized shade tree, height 40' to 65' with diameters of 10" to 24"; broad, round crown; moderately long, clear trunk.

Bark

Smooth, light gray on young stems, dark gray and rough on old limbs and trunk; old bark divided by shallow, flaky ridges at surface, making tree look shaggy.

Leaf

Simple, opposite on stem, length 2" to 4"; has three- to five-pointed saw-toothed lobes separated by sharp angular openings; upper surface is light green when mature; lower surface is whitish and partly covered with pale down; first of the maples to turn brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow in autumn. Winter buds are small, red, and somewhat rounded.

Fruit (seed)

Consists of u-shaped pairs of winged seeds (samaras), 1/2" to 1" in length, on long, drooping stems; red, reddish-brown, or yellow; ripens in late spring or early summer.

Range

Distributed throughout the eastern half of the state as far south as Houston County and west to a line running south from Mahnomen to Redwood Falls; shade-tolerant, moderately fast-growing.