The Red Maple tree, Acer rubrum, is a deciduous tree which will typically grow 40-60' tall with a rounded to oval crown. In northern states, red maple usually occurs in wet bottomland, river flood plains, and wet woods, but in the south, it typically frequents drier, rocky upland areas. Leaves are shiny green above and pale green beneath, 3-5 lobed and 3-6" across. Species name of rubrum (meaning red) is everywhere in evidence: red flowers in dense clusters in late March to early April (before the leaves appear), red fruit (initially reddish, two-winged samara), reddish stems and twigs, red buds, and, in the fall, orange-red foliage color.

This maple tree grows faster than Norway and Sugar maples, but slower than silver maple. Sap of this tree can be used to make a maple syrup that is inferior in quality to syrups made from the sugar maple. Red Maple trees are widely planted and admired.