Distribution: Red
maple is reported to have the greatest north-south distribution
of all species along the East Coast. It is found in Manitoba,
New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince
Edward Island, and Quebec in Canada. In the United States,
its range includes Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Mississippi, North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountain National
Park, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. The tree
usually grows in mixed hardwood forests and thrives well
in wet or moist soils of stream banks, valleys, swamps, and
uplands and occasionally on dry ridges.
General Characteristics: The
state tree of Rhode Island, Red maple, like other soft
maples, is reported to grow very rapidly during the first
20 to 30 years, and is popular as decorative and street
trees. The mature tree measures about 60 to 90 feet (18
to 27 m) in height and about 30 inches (80 cm) in diameter.
The heartwood is light brown and may occasionally show
a grayish or greenish tinge or a faint purplish hue. The
wide sapwood is white in color. The wood is fine textured;
the grain is straight but occasionally curly or wavy. The
wood is described as close-grained. There is no distinctive
taste or odor.
Weight: Basic specific gravity
(ovendry weight/green volume) 0.54; air-dry density N/A.
Working Properties: Red
maple is reported to respond well to planing, and is comparably
easier to work than hard maple because of its softness.
Because it is close-grained, Red maple is reported to turn
rather well. Soft maple is reported to have good boring
properties. The material is reported to have fairly poor
mortising properties. The material is reported to be fairly
difficult to glue. Nailing properties re reported
to be fair. Screwing characteristics are reported to be
fairly good. Sanding properties are reported to be generally
poor. The wood has satisfactory steam bending properties.
Durability: The wood is
not resistant to attack by decay causing fungi and insects,
and should not be used in exterior applications.
Preservation: Fairly or
moderately resistant to impregnation. The heartwood has
been found to be fairly difficult to treat.
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