(Published in October 2008 Forum)

Our October tree is the Red Maple, glorious in reds and yellows during autumn.

            “The maple wears a gayer scarf,

             The field a scarlet gown,

             Lest I should be old-fashioned,

             I’ll put a trinket on.”

Emily Dickenson, Nature 27 – Autumn

The red maple is a medium-sized tree, growing to 30-60 feet and 2 ½ feet in trunk diameter.  Noted for its three-to-five lobed leaves that turn red in fall, the maple also has red flowers, stalks to which the leaves are attached, twigs, and winged seeds.  Some red maples show yellow leaves in the fall.  Red maples mature in 60-80 years and are relatively short-lived, lasting only 150 years. While they are drought-tolerant and have a high tolerance for pollution, red maples are very sensitive to mechanical wounding, showing damage to limbs during storms which then allows disease to enter the tree.  Many of our red maples show this damage and subsequent disease because of our violent thunderstorms. 

You can see red maples on all of your streets in Parkfairfax.  Particularly large and well-shaped trees can be found at the following locations: walking up Valley Drive the tree is on the right side just before you reach the intersection of Gunston Road and Martha Custis Drive, in front of 3208 and 3210 in Building 823. A second is found going up Preston Road on the left side in front of 1754 in Building 823. A third is found going down Valley on the left between Buildings 522 and 520. 

For more information about red maples see the following

            Dirr,  Michael A.  Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs, Timber Press, 1997

            U.S. Forest Service www.na.fs.fed.us.

            Virginia Tech   www.cnr.vt.edu