Red maple is the State Tree of Rhode Island. Acer rubrum is the scientific name of Red maple and it is commonly known as Red maple, American red maple, or maple Canada. It is also known as Carolina red maple, Drummond red maple, scarlet maple, swamp maple, soft maple, and water maple. Acer is the genus of the Red maple and A. rubrum is its species. Rhode Island’s State tree Red maple belongs to the family of Sapindaceae, which is one of the most plentiful and extensive trees in eastern North America.
It can also be found in the ranges from the south of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and southern Quebec to the south-west of Ontario, extreme southeastern Manitoba and northern Minnesota; south to Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas in its western range; and east to Florida.
For selecting the state tree of Rhode Island, the authority has arranged a vote among the School children in 1890, the red maple had won the polls but was not officially designated. After a long waiting, the state Legislators designated the Red Maple tree as the official state tree of Rhode Island on March 6, 1964.
Facts about Rhode Island’s State Tree (Red maple)
- Common name: Red maple, American red maple, or maple Canada, Carolina red maple, Drummond red maple, scarlet maple, swamp maple, soft maple, and water maple.
- Genus: Acer
- Species: Acer rubrum
- Found in: Indigenous to the ranges from the south of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and southern Quebec to the south-west of Ontario, extreme southeastern Manitoba and northern Minnesota; south to Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas in its western range; and east to Florida.
- Flower: The flowers of the Red Maples are usually in red color but sometimes it can be yellow with 5 tinny petals and fatal sepals in groups, typically produced at the end of the branches, which are generated in March to May.
- Bark: The bark of the Red maple trees is rather capricious. The juvenile plant’s bark is normally grayish-brown in color, which will ultimately develop to darker and cracks up into long scaly plates.
- Leaf: The leaves of the Red Maples are deciduous and oppositely arranged with the twig, which are 3 to 5 palmate lobes with notched margins, sinuses relatively slender but considerably variable. It is 2 to 4 inches long; light green upper side, whitish, and sometimes glaucous or hairy underside.
- Fruits: The fruits of the Red Maple are horseshoe-shaped samaras, which have two wings, and the wings are15 to 25 mm (5⁄8 to 1 in) long that grows in pairs with rather contrary wings at an angle of 50 to 60 degrees long, appearing in clusters. It has been borne on long slender stems and is changeable in color from light brown to reddish.
- Purpose: Ornamental.
- Symbolism: Love, Longevity, Money, Success, and Abundance.
The Rhode Island’s State tree the Red maple, under the most favorable growing conditions, Red maple can reach heights in excess of 100 feet. The largest individual that has been reported was found near Bethany, Rhode Island. It had a diameter of 5.6 feet, a crown spread of 75 feet, and a height of 110 feet. Nearly all mature trees, however, range from 70 to 90 feet in height and have diameters at breast height (4.5 feet above the ground) usually measuring from 2 to 3 feet.
Trees that grow in open space have trunks that branch near the ground, forming crowns that spread 60 to 80 feet. On the contrary, the ones found in shaded forest conditions normally develop clear, straight boles and narrow crowns. From the economic perspective, the Red maple is one of the most precious hardwoods for its typical heaviness, strong, and gorgeousness. Mostly it has been used for good-looking furniture, cabinet, and interior decoration. It also generates juice (Sap), which has been used for making edible maple syrup.
Rhode Island’s State tree the Red maple has many medicinal properties. The Red maple leaf contains sedative and tonic elements. It is an exceptional remedy for the liver as well the spleen. It does not only treat these organs but it will bring about a tranquil nature to them as well. In the case of irritation, feeling the blues, or just nonchalant, maple leaf medicinal herb is very much effective to new feeling to the entire organism. It is also a very good remedy for nervous conditions.
To sum up, the Red maple is the people’s favorite State Tree of Rhode Island, which symbolized Love, Longevity, Money, Success, and Abundance. Although it is an official State tree symbol of Rhode Island, it outstandingly represents and glorifies the spirit of Rhode Island culture.
References:
- https://statesymbolsusa.org/states/united-states/rhode-island
- www.ereferencedesk.com/resources/state-tree/rhode-island.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_rubrum
- www.tree-guide.com/red-maple