124 Native Trees of Cmiada 



head with drooping branches. The tendency for the small branches to grow down- 

 ward and then turn up again is very characteristic, and is much more marked 

 than with the red maple. 



The bark is grey with a reddish tinge, and peels off from the trunk in older 

 trees in long pieces, which are free at either end and attached at the middle. 



The t\vigs, which come out in pairs and opposite, as with all maples, are curved 

 and have a distinct odour when freshly cut. The buds are blunt-pointed and red, 

 and more clustered than with the red maple. ^ It is one of the first trees to blossom 

 in the spring. 



The leaves are five-lobed and the sinuses or notches between the lobes are nar- 

 row and come to a sharp point. The notches are narrower than those of the red 

 maple leaf. In autumn the leaves turn a dull yellow. 



The wings of the seeds are very widespread ; more so than those of either the 

 sugar maple or red maple. 



The silver maple ranges from New Brunswick westward through southern 

 Quebec and southern Ontario and is found on deep, rich soils such as river bottoms 

 and along the borders of swamps. It is usually mixed with other hardwoods. 



The wood of the silver and the red maples is usually sold together as "soft" 

 maple. It is not so strong as that of the sugar or "hard" maple but is often used 

 for similar purposes. 



ACER RUBRUM, Linn. RED MAPLE 



Common names: Red maple, soft maple*, scarlet maple, swamp 



maple*, water maple*. 

 French names: Erable rouge, plaine rouge, erable tendre. 



The name red maple is most appropriate for this tree. Its twigs, winter buds, 

 fruit, stems of leaves and, in the autumn, the leaves themselves, are all bright red 

 in colour. It is one of the first trees to change its colour in autumn. 



It attains a height of 70 to 90 ft. with a trunk 3 to 4 ft. in diameter. The 

 main branches have an upright growth, the smaller branches and twigs spread out 

 and tend to turn up towards the end. 



The bark is smooth and grey on young trunks; when old it cracks and peels off 

 in slender longitudinal flakes, which do not curl at both ends as in the case of the 

 white maple. 



The leaves are five-lobed; the two at the base not being prominent. The 

 sinuses or notches between the lobes are acute. 



The buds are blunt-pointed and red, usually not so shiny as those of the silver 

 maple, nor so many of them in a cluster. The flower buds open before the leaves 

 and it is one of the first trees to blossom in the spring. The fruit ripens in May. 



It is found mostly on rich, moist lands, and along the borders of streams and 

 swamps, where it makes rapid growth when young; on poor, dry soil it forms a 



