Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Red Maple


Sometimes it seems as if every single autumn leaf is a work of art. Of course, some are prettier than others. The three central leaves here are red maples, Acer rubrum. NOT the cultivar of Norway maple ("Crimson King etc") that many people call red maple, but real red maples. They are pioneer species, often hybridize with silver maples. Their sap can be boiled down for maple syrup, but it takes twice as much as with sugar maple. Red maples flower very early in the spring with tiny red flowers. They often grow in swamps and bogs and turn color very early--brilliant scarlet.
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2 comments:

Carolyn Hietala said...

Absolutely Beautiful composition! I need lessons ;0)

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Thanks so much, Carolyn! You seem to be quite talented!