Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Common forest trees of North Carolina

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  • wcu_great_smoky_mtns-9728.jpg
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  • .-#gge*j~§3>~£= -e>-#£§p<^- ■& T TREE. 5 -<S> -©> RED MAPLE (Acer rubrum L.) THE red maple, or swamp maple, is widely distributed throughout the State. It is usually a medium-sized tree, quick-growing and relatively short-lived. It is used as a shade tree, though much inferior for this purpose to the other maples, especially the sugar maple. The bark is smooth and light gray on young stems, and dark gray and rough on the old limbs and trunk. RED MAPLE Leaf, one-third natural size. Twig, one-half natural size. The leaves are 2 to 5 inches long and have from 3 to 5 pointed, saw-toothed lobes, which are separated by sharp angular sinuses or openings. The upper surface when mature is light green and the lower surface whitish and partly covered with pale down. In autumn the leaves turn to brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. The red flowers in dense clusters appear in early spring before the leaves, the buds turning a deep red sometime before they open. The winter buds are small, red and round or blunt-pointed. The fruit ripens in late spring or early summer. It consists of pairs of winged seeds, or keys, one-half to 1 inch in length, on long drooping stems, red, reddish brown or yellow in color. The wood, which is commercially known as soft maple, is heavy, close-grained, rather weak and of a light-brown color. It is used in the manufacture of furniture, and for turnery, woodenware, and also for fuel.
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).