Despite a coolish start to March, the red maples have been blooming in Columbia this week. Native to eastern North America, these trees, often called swamp maples, prefer moist, lowland soils and are often found in the company of sycamores, river birch, boxelder, silver maple, green ash and cottonwoods. Due to their early spring flowers, fast growth and scarlet fall foliage, red maples are also widely planted as ornamentals.
The red male and female flowers, which appear along the bare terminal stems, occur on the same tree; by late spring, the paired, winged seeds develop. Adult trees may grow to 80 feet and their soft wood (they are also called soft maples) has long been used for furniture, gun stocks, tools, flooring and firewood. But it is their early flowering that makes these trees most valuable to many humans, offering a sign that spring is about to take control.
