Flower ID: IMG_5133.JPG-04-25-2023 Flower name (scientific): Acer rubrum Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) AY-ser ROO-brum Flower name (common): Red Maple Family name (common): Soapberry Family name (scientific): Sapindaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Latin name for maple. Also the Latin meaning sharp, either a reference to its use in making spears or to the leaf shape. Specific epithet: Latin for red, the color of both the flowers and often the fall leaves. Common name origin: Red for the color of the flowers, twigs, and the fall foliage, and maple derived from old English mapel (and other spelling variations), for a group of small Eurasian trees having three to five-lobed palmate leaves. Flower description: Flowers generally are unisexual, with each flower type typically appearing on separate tress, though they can appear on separate branches of the same tree. Perfect flowers, those having both male and female parts, have been recorded. Size: 0.1 to 0.2 inches (3 to 5 mm) Petal count: 5 Color: red Other: flower arrangement, Cluster-spherical Plant description: Tree that can be monoecious or dioecious. Size: 240 to 600 inches (6 to 15 m) typically, can be up to 40 m. Stem hairy: Young twigs are smooth. Other: Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple and lobed with 3 to 5 lobes. Size: Typically up to about 10 cm (4 inches) long and about the same wide. Color: Upper leaf surface is medium to dark green and the lower surface pale gray-green. Hairy: The upper leaf surface is glabrous and the lower leaf surface has variable pubescence. Other: Shape: leaf, palmately lobed (3 lobes, less often 5 lobes). Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): April to May Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Swamps, wet woodlands, shores of rivers and lakes, moist or occasionally dry, sun or part shade. Fruit: Samara ("winged" seeds) are about 16 to 25 mm in length and red or brown in color. Seed: Color is brown or reddish brown. Importance to wildlife: A number of foraging birds visit this tree species (Gabbe et al., 2002). The bee Andrena fenningeri visits this species (Krombein et al., p. 1827, 1979). Red maple serves as a food source for honey bees and bumble bees. Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes. Ethnobotany: The Ojibwe utilized the bark to prepare a treatment for sore eyes (Smith, pp. 353, 1932). Latitude: 44.794167 Longitude: -91.494345 Altitude: 222.80 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) In Canada: (NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonyms: The POWO lists 3 homotypic synonyms for this species. Heterotypic Synonyms: The POWO lists 55 heterotypic synonyms for this species. Autonym: na