Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - August 21, 2014
From: Washington, DC
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Trees
Title: Plants associated with Acer rubrum (Red maple)
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What plants are commonly associated with Acer rubrum in its natural habitat?ANSWER:
U. S. Forest Service Index of Species Information for Acer rubrum (Red maple) describes it as one of the most widely distributed trees in eastern North America. It ranges from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland westward to Ontario in Canada and south all the way to southern Texas and eastward into Florida. It is linked with 19 different Kuchler Plant Associations and 60 SAF Cover Types that are listed in the Index of Species Information link above. Its natural habitat is widespread and varied so in order to answer your question one would need to know where the associated community is. It may be possible to access the map of the Potential Natural Vegetation of the Conterminous United States (modifed Kuchler) via USGS but I was not successful in doing so using the Kuchler Plant Associations link above. You might be able to download a copy of Kuchler's article, Potential Natural Vegetation of the Conterminous United States via ResearchGate.
Here is more/easier to read information from the US Forest Service about Acer rubrum and you can see a map of Forest Resources of the United States from NationalAtlas.gov. You can also read the list of Existing Vegetation References and Codes compiled in February 2014 by the US Forest Service. The description of the different SAF cover types is given in the following reference: Forest Cover Types of the United States and Canada. F. H. Eyres, editor. 1980. Society of American Foresters. You might check a nearby library to see if it is available.
More Trees Questions
Evergreens for a deer corridor in MI
April 16, 2012 - I am growing three rows of evergreens for a wildlife, deer travel corridor, and am looking for which trees grow well together and are shade tolerant of each other when planted at the same time, or at ...
view the full question and answer
Xeriscaping in clay on a slope in Fort Worth
April 06, 2006 - Xeriscaping in clay (Fort Worth) on a slope --
Please offer suggestions and publications.
Thanks
view the full question and answer
Wilting American Smoke Tree in Texas
April 21, 2013 - I planted a young American smoke tree last fall (mid-November) and it put out a good show of tentative new leaves this spring. Then to keep the tree form I clipped some little shrubby start ups at the...
view the full question and answer
Time to transplant shade tree seedlings from San Antonio
September 28, 2013 - What month do you transplant shade tree seedlings in San Antonio, TX<
view the full question and answer
Evergreen trees for a Southern California yard
July 08, 2011 - Hello
I live in Irvine, CA and I am looking for a tree for our front yard. We recently planted oaks but they did not survive the clay soil. Our landscaper wants to replace them with oaks or with ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |