18-06-2005, 12:13 PM
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wrote in
oups.com:
Late last summer I purchased a small 7-foot tall maple tree that was
tagged as a red maple. When winter came what little leaves it had on
it (the leaves got thrashed around at the nusery) simply fell off. No
color change. This spring new leaves budded out, but they were just
green. There was no red tipped branches or red buds. Right now the
leaves are plain green on top, but the underside of the leaf isn't
silvery like I think a silver maple leaf should look like.
So here are my questions. How or when can I tell if this small maple
is a red maple? Do I just wait until this fall to see if the leaves
turn red?
Patrick
Red Maple is the common name for Acer rubrum, aka Scarlet Maple and Swamp
Maple. Emerging leaves are reddish tinged gradually changing medium to dark
green above with a distinct gray cast beneath. Red Maples get their name
from the brilliant red color they (usually) turn in the fall, although
stress and a variety of other factors can affect the show. Also, Red Maples
in the nursery trade are genetically selected for their fall color;
seedling trees which lesser-quality nurseries or plantsmen might sell as a
Red Maple may have really poor fall color; not that there is anything wrong
with buying seedling trees, it's just good to be forewarned that there is
extreme genetic variability in this species. In the trade, 'Autumn Blaze',
'Autumn Flame', 'Fairview Flame', and 'October Glory' all seem to be
reliable performers in the fall. So, a 'Red Maple' does not have year round
red leaves. In terms of comparison of leaf shape, Silver Maple (Acer
Sacharinum) is very different than Red Maple.
Red Maple: 2" to 4"(sometimes 5") long and wide, 3 although often 5-lobed,
triangular ovate lobes and sinuses are irregularly toothed (in Silver Maple
the sinuses are entire), medium to dark green above, grayish to silvery
beneaths with hairy veins, new growth and petioles often red. The petiole
is 2 to 4" long.
Silver Maple: 3" to 6" across, 5-lobed, with deeply and doubly acuminate
lobes, the middle often 3-lobed, bright to medium green above, silvery
white beneath and pubescent when young; petiole is 3" to 5" long. (My
thanks to Dirr for those descriptions).
--
David J. Bockman, Fairfax, VA (USDA Hardiness Zone 7)
email:
http://beyondgardening.com/Albums
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