Featured Urban Tree

One of the first deciduous trees to bloom in the spring is Red Maple. As you are driving toward the Arboretum or walking along one of the trails, you can see its reddish blooms beginning to appear in the upper forest canopy. Red maple has male and female flowers that occur on separate branches of the same tree, or a tree may have only male or only female flowers. The reddish bloom comes primarily from the female flowers and the fruits as they mature. The male flowers tend to have a yellowish color. The fruits—called samaras—are similar to those of other maples in having two wings. As spring progresses, you are likely to see abundant flower parts and later numerous samaras on the ground as you walk the Arboretum trails. In the fall, the leaves contribute a brilliant red to the forest canopy.