Red Maple

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is in the soapberry family family (Sapindaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,959 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Nationally it blooms mainly from February to April, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.

When to photograph Red Maple: observations by month (U.S.)

About Red Maple

Acer rubrum, the red maple, also known as swamp, water or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest service recognizes it as the most abundant native tree in eastern North America. The red maple ranges from southeastern Manitoba around the Lake of the Woods on the border with Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to Florida, and southwest to eastern Texas....From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Red Maple by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related wildflowers (soapberry family)

Red BuckeyeAesculus pavia

California buckeyeAesculus californica

Norway mapleAcer platanoides

Box ElderAcer negundo

Bigleaf MapleAcer macrophyllum

Photography tips

• Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
• Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
• Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
• Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.

FAQ