The Red Maple A Hardwood Tree

A fast growing hardwood the tulip tree can.

The red maple a hardwood tree.

The red maple is best grown in soil that has a ph of neutral to acidic in the range of 3 7 to 7 0. America s forests contain hundreds of different hardwood tree species. The red maple ranges from southeastern manitoba around the lake of the woods on the border with ontario and minnesota east to. Silver maple this tree is close behind the sugar maple in terms of being the most prolific tree in north america.

In the united states red maples are widely disbursed. Unlike most other hardwoods the sapwood of maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood sapwood color ranges from almost white to a light golden or reddish brown while the heartwood is a darker reddish brown. Acer rubrum the red maple also known as swamp water or soft maple is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central north america the u s. Forest service recognizes it as the most abundant native tree in eastern north america.

They produce a fruit or nut and often go dormant in the winter. Now it may look like hard maple is heads and tails above the rest and to a certain extent it is but for reference black cherry has a janka hardness of 950 lb f the same as red maple and black walnut is rated at 1 010 lb f also note that black maple not pictured isn t quite as hard as its close relative hard maple and ranks in the mid range with a hardness of 1 180 lb f. With leaves that look very similar to the sugar maple the silver maple s leaves are thinner with more defined points. Red maple transplants easily at any age has an oval shape and is a fast grower with strong wood and grows into a medium large tree of about 40 to 70.

The wood is heavy and soft which makes it ideal for commercial uses such as making furniture pallets and crating. Red maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns. Softwood comes from a conifer cone bearing or evergreen trees such as pine or spruce. The trees have broad leaves rather than needle like leaves.

The texture and density of the wood a tree produces puts it in either the hardwood or softwood category. A few well known hardwood species are oak maple and cherry but many. In fact about 40 percent of american trees are in the hardwood category. Red maple trees should be planted in a location in full sun and ample moisture in the soil.

The red maple occupies one of the largest eastern north south ranges in north america from canada to the tip of florida. Grain is generally straight but may be wavy. The red maple or acer rubrum is classified as a soft hardwood tree. The silver undersides of its leaves not only give the silver maple its name but also lend the tree a shimmering silver appearance in the breeze.