Red Maple Tree Facts for Kids

A Picture of a Red Maple Tree
  • Common Name: Red Maple Tree
  • Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
  • Genus: Acer
  • Family: Sapindaceae
  • Order: Sapindales
  • Distribution: Parts of North America

17 Red Maple Tree Facts for Kids

  1. The red maple tree is a medium to large tree species that is a member of the Acer genus.
  2. The red maple tree is one of about 128 species in the Acer genus.
  3. The scientific species name for the red maple tree is Acer rubrum.
  4. The red maple tree is a deciduous tree, which means it sheds its leaves annually.
  5. The red maple tree is native to the eastern part of the North American Continent, with the most saturation in the United States of America. It’s all the most abundant tree species in North America.
  6. The red maple tree is famous for the bright red color of its leaves during the autumn months.
  7. The length of the leaves on a mature red maple tree are between 3.5 and 4.5 inches.
  8. The average diameter of a mature red maple tree’s trunk is between 18 and 35 inches. However, in favorable growing conditions the diameter of their trunk can reach over 60 inches.
  9. The average height of a mature red maple tree is between 90 and 120 feet. However, in favorable growing conditions they can reach a height greater than 135 feet.
  10. The red maple tree produces horizontal roots that can reach a length of up to 82 feet.
  11. The red maple tree produces seeds in a winged structure known as a samara. This allows the seed structure to be carried in the wind and travel with a helicopter like motion.
  12. A single red maple tree can produce between 10,000 and 1,000,000 seeds annually. The size of the red maple tree determines how many seeds it can produce annually.
  13. The seeds produced by red maple trees are some of the smallest of all known maple tree species.
  14. The average lifespan of a healthy red maple tree is around 100 years, and the maximum lifespan is estimated to be around 150 years.
  15. The sap from the red maple tree can be used to create maple syrup.
  16. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the largest living red maple tree in North America is in Armada, Michigan. It has a confirmed height of 125 feet.
  17. The red maple tree is the state tree of the U.S. state Rhode Island.

Additional Resources on the Red Maple Tree

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