Red Maple - Generally found from south Florida to east Texas and Oklahoma, northward up to eastern Canada.  Mostly in lowland woods, and coastal plains; but also frequent in and along swamps, floodplain forests, river and stream banks.   A medium sized tree, with young branches appearing red, and older branches grey to brown; bark of trunk is broken into flat ridges.   Leaf blades are 3 - 5 lobed, 6 - 14 cm long and wide.  Flowers are red and depending on sex are either in tight clusters (staminate) or simple loose clusters (pistillate, or bisexual.)   Fruits are samaras (winged), up to 2.5 cm long, varying in color from scarlet, to yellow.

“Maples” are well known for their sweet, sticky syrups.  Though  Acer saccharum Marsh.  is considered the best source, according to Peterson (1977) all Maple trees produce sugary sap.  This supports citations from the 1800's of native American tribes introducing settlers to Acer rubrum L. as a source of “sugary sap”. The wood of the tree has been employed for making tools (and handles), such as cookware, arrowheads and ox yokes. Though not supported scientifically there are widespread medical accounts of various Acer species being used by Indians and settlers alike for liver and skin disorders, as well as in opthalmalic treatments.