On the way to visit Birdgirl the weekend before last, I noticed the tips of this stand of trees, at the far edge of a field, shining red against the blue sky. It’s pretty commonplace to see red-stemmed plants in damp areas: Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea). It’s a vigorous shrub around here and is often found in wet lands. However, the red tips at the tops of these trees are probably an indication of a Red Maple forest. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is best known for its leaves, which turn bright red in the autumn, but these trees retain a touch of red year-round. In the winter, Red Maples sport red twigs and buds, while in the summer, the leaf stalks and seeds are red. In the spring, the bounty of tiny red flowers, which appear well before the leaves, give the bare crowns a red glow that stands out against the blue sky. Red maples are also known as Swamp maples because of their tolerance of damp growing conditions.
Willow House Chronicles 