SHADES OF MAPLE: THE TURNING OF THE COLORS
The Monday Garden, Eco-gardening at its best
November 2005, Issue 185
When it comes to maples, nothing is that certain due to significant cross breeding and what appears to be personal choice influenced by clan and individual genetic make-up, physical location, current and past health, the neighbors, the weather, nourishment, and the like – a lot like us when you think about it.
PICTURE: first to turn are the magnificent sugar maples. First Presbyterian Church Stamford CT Oct. 2005
There are some benchmarks, though. First to greet each autumn are the wonderful, wonderful sugar maples (Acer saccharum). They’ll soon be followed by the reds (a/k/a swamp maple) (Acer rubrum), and then the rest of the maples found in Southern New England – the Norways ( Acer plantanoides), Japanese (Acer palmatum, etc. ), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), amur (Acer ginnala), silvers (Acer saccharinum), and box elders (Acer negundo). Some trees will turn earlier or later than the norm for their group. Stressed trees turn earlier and those with a bit more warmth or light, etc. turn later. The Norways will hold their leaves the longest, often being the only tree still in color at the tail-end of the season.
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