What's with Red's

[Richard Gress]

I was unaware of the potential of Red Maples until I found this site. Have not really looked, but I always thought they were smaller ornimental trees for front yards. I hear a many people tappping them in the back woods. Am I confusing species.

[Dave Puhl]

If that all you got tappem...thay start sooner and end sooner and less sugar in the sap...

[happy thoughts]

I was unaware of the potential of Red Maples until I found this site. Have not really looked, but I always thought they were smaller ornimental trees for front yards. I hear a many people tappping them in the back woods. Am I confusing species.

I have a feeling you're thinking of ornamental japanese red maples which are common landscape trees.. Those are not the same as Red Maples- acer rubrum- which are a native species. Get a good tree field guide or do some research on the net to ID them. They are common most places. ID them partially by their red buds. You can tap them. Can't tell you about the tappability of the ornamental japanese ones.

[plattmaple]

Red Maples are also called soft maples just like sugar maples are also called hard maple. It took me a while to figure out what red maples were because they are commonly referred as soft maple in my area.

[gmcooper]

Some people also confuse red maples (acer rubrum) with the maples that have kind of maroon colored leaves all summer. Those are not a red maple but a hybred of norway commonly sold as Crimson King variety. I have one on our front lawn and I may put a bucket on it this year just to see what I get if anything.

[Richard Gress]

Thanks for the input. Gonna wait til summer ank keep my eye out for Red Maples.