Species

Acer rubrum

Etymology

Acer: Thought to be derived from the Latin acer 'hard' or 'sharp', the wood once having been used for writing tablets

Common Name(s)

red maple

Authority

Acer rubrum L.

Family

Sapindaceae

Brief Description

Deciduous tree; shoots red to coppery-brown. Leaves silvery below; 3-5 lobed; petioles red above, yellow-green below.

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Distribution

First record as adventive in NZ (near Fordell, Wanganui) made in Feb. 2015

Habitat

Hillside garden adjoining pasture with a planted adult tree

Flower Colours

Green,Red / Pink

Year Naturalised

2015

Origin

Eastern and Central North America, Newfoundland to Texas

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Winged seeds

References and further reading

Mitchell, A. 1974.  A field guide to the trees of Britain and Northern Europe. Collins

This page last updated on 27 Oct 2019