“What!? A maple tree blooms?” Why, yes. Everything blooms, unless it’s a fern. And that red to red-orange haze you may see among the trees now is that of our native Red Maple.
When I say ‘native’ is does not mean ‘exclusive to the South’. This gem of a tree is native from central Florida to Canada. It prefers moist, or even wet soil, but will grow on dry upland soil as well. It is fast growing, has great fall color (usually) and is well-behaved in the landscape. The nursery trade has created some outstanding cultivated varieties, called ‘cultivars’, that will have consistent size, shape, and fall color. Look for ‘October Glory’ or ‘Red Sunset’, and avoid anything with Silver Maple in it’s lineage.
These fuzzy red blooms will soon morph into red, burgundy, or tan-colored seeds. They use the ‘helicopter’ configuration to spin away from the parent tree as they are released.
Now is the second-best time of year to plant them. Fall is the best, mid- to late spring is the worst. Give them lots of room, especially when near a house or over-head power lines.
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