MASSACHUSETTS FOREST TREES 



RED MAPLE (Acer rubrum L.) 



ROWING in a variety of situations, though usually 

 where it is wet, the Red Maple appears commonly 

 throughout the State. It is a rapid-growing tree of 

 medium size, with a low, narrow, round head. Nor- 

 mally, it rises to a height of forty to fifty feet and 

 has a diameter of one to two feet. Usually the trunk 

 is continuous, though occasionally it divides 

 into two or three upright stems. The 

 branches proper are rather slender and come 

 out at varying 

 angles with 

 the trunk. 



The bark 

 on older trees 

 is dark gray, 

 marked by 

 longitudinal 

 ridges and 

 broken with 

 plate-like 

 scales . On the 

 young shoots 

 the bark i s 

 red and shiny. 



The leaves 



are simple, RED 



opposite, from three to four inches in length MAPLE 

 and have from three to five lobes. The winter twig and 

 upper surface of the leaf is light green and buds ' One-half 



natural size. 



the under-surface white. In the fall the 



green gives place to varying shades of scarlet or scarlet 



and orange. 



The flowers appear before the leaves, in early April, 

 and are scarlet or yellowish-red. Likewise, the fruit, 

 which ripens in June, has a reddish coloring. 



The wood is heavy, close-grained, easily worked and 

 capable of taking a good polish. However, it lacks 

 strength and decays speedily when exposed to alterna- 

 tions of moisture and dryness. It is used in the making 

 of furniture, in turnery, for gun-stocks and for fuel. 



59 



RED MAPLE 



Leaf and fruit. One-third natural size. 



