One of our most common and familiar trees throughout North Carolina, found in a wide variety of habitats. In wetlands, var. trilobum is more common and var. drummondii is also possible.
Red Maple blooms in early spring, before leaf-out.
Carroll Co., VA 4/17/04.
In central North Carolina, they start blooming as early as the end of February, the first tree to bring color to the winter landscape.
The tiny male flowers are pale yellowish-red with excerted stamens. This tree is unusually late in blooming, a couple of weeks after the peak in the area.
Chapel Hill, NC 3/11/06.
They are sweetly fragrant.
Chapel Hill, NC 3/11/06.
Warm winters may cause Red Maples to start blooming as early as mid-January.
Durham, NC 1/15/07.
The samaras are usually a brilliant red when they're young, later turning tan.
Carroll Co., VA 4/17/04.
