Stats

Lifespan: Up to 150 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Temperate deciduous forest
Range: North America
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Common

About

The red maple is the most abundant native tree in eastern North America, putting on a blazing scarlet display each autumn as its leaves turn before nearly any other species. Its small red flowers, red fruits, and red twigs make it one of the few trees that stays colourful across all four seasons.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Acer
Species: Acer rubrum