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Red Maple Tree Seeds



Product Description

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.[4] 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 East Texas. Many of its features, especially its leaves, are quite variable in form. At maturity, it often attains a height of around 30 m (100 ft). Its flowers, petioles, twigs and seeds are all red to varying degrees. Among these features, however, it is best known for its brilliant deep scarlet foliage in autumn.


Over most of its range, red maple is adaptable to a very wide range of site conditions, perhaps more so than any other tree in eastern North America. It can be found growing in swamps, on poor dry soils, and almost anywhere in between. It grows well from sea level to about 900 m (3,000 ft). Due to its attractive fall foliage and pleasing form, it is often used as a shade tree for landscapes. It is used commercially on a small scale for maple syrup production as well as for its medium to high quality lumber. It is also the state tree of Rhode Island. The red maple can be considered weedy or even invasive in young, highly disturbed forests, especially frequently logged forests. In a mature or old growth northern hardwood forest, red maple only has a sparse presence, while shade tolerant trees such as sugar maples, beeches, and hemlocks thrive. By removing red maple from a young forest recovering from disturbance, the natural cycle of forest regeneration is altered, changing the diversity of the forest for centuries to come


Instructions


Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 1

Try this for most maple seeds. Sugar maples, bigleaf maples, boxelder maples, Japanese maples, Norway maples, and some red maples lie dormant over the winter, then germinate as soon as temperatures warm. The cold stratification approach produces very high germination rates in these species.[1]
  • All of these species drop their seeds in autumn or early winter. If your red maple trees drop their seeds in spring or early summer, try germinating them in the soil instead.
  • If you're going to plant the seeds outdoors, start this method 90–120 days before the last winter frost.

Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 2

Fill a plastic bag with growing material. Place a handful of peat moss, vermiculite, or germination paper in a small, plastic, zip-locked bag. For best results, use sterile material and handle it with disposable gloves to avoid introducing fungus.
  • Tiny "snack sized" bags work best. Larger bags trap more air with the seeds, which can lead to fungal problems.
  • Red maple seeds are sensitive to acidity. For this species, choose vermiculite (a neutral or basic substance) rather than peat moss (acidic).

Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 3

Add a little water. Add a couple drops of water to the growing material to dampen the material slightly. If you see standing water, or if you can squeeze out water from the material, it is too wet.

Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 4

Apply a little fungicide (optional). Fungicide can prevent mold from destroying your seeds, but it is not always necessary, and may damage the plant if overused. Add only in tiny quantities, following manufacturer's instructions.
  • Some growers rinse the seeds in very diluted bleach solutions instead.

Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 5

Add the seeds and close the bag. Place your seeds in the bag. Starting from the base, roll the bag to expel most of the air. Zip it closed.

Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 6

Store in the refrigerator. Now it's time to "stratify" the seeds, or expose them to temperatures that trigger germination. For most species, the ideal temperature is usually around 1–5ºC (33.8–41ºF). The crisper drawer of a refrigerator is usually about this temperature.
  • Ideally, use a thermometer to confirm the correct temperature. Some seeds may fail to germinate if the temperature is just a couple degrees off.
  • If possible, keep boxelder and Norway maple seeds at exactly 5ºC (41ºF), and red maple seeds at exactly 3ºC (37.4ºF). Other species are not as picky.

Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 7

Leave them for 40–120 days, checking every week or 2. Most of these species take 90–120 days to germinate, but the bigleaf maple and a few others can sprout in as few as 40. Every week or 2, check on the bag and make adjustments as needed:
  • If you notice condensation, pick up the bag and gently tap it to knock the water droplets off. Lay the bag back down on the opposite side, so the wet seeds have a chance to dry off.
  • If the growing material has dried out, add a drop or 2 of water.
  • If you notice any mold or black spots, remove the affected seed and throw it away. (If the whole batch is molding, try a little fungicide.)
  • If the seeds have begun to sprout, remove them from the refrigerator.

Image titled Germinate Maple Tree Seeds Step 8

Plant the seeds. Once the seeds have germinated, plant them 0.6–1.2cm (¼–½ inch) under moist soil. Most maples do well in partial shade, but look up the exact species if possible for more info on planting.
  • To increase the odds of survival, start the seedlings in an indoor seed tray instead. Fill the tray with 7.6–10 cm (3–4 inches) of well-draining potting soil, or an even mix of peat moss, rotted compost, vermiculite and coarse sand. Water whenever the soil becomes completely dry. Transfer to planter pots once the second set of leaves appear.




Shipping Information

item will be posted same day if not next day depending on time ordered we offer free royal mail 2nd class delivery 2-3days arrival or royal mail 1st class for extra £0.50 1-2days arrival if royal mail is delayed item can take extra few days to arrive note to international buyers items can sometimes take longer than usual depending on customs delay


Returns Information

if customers are not 100% happy with item we offer returns up to 30days after item purchased once we receive goods back to us we then refund payment also refund delivery costs back to you if returning unwanted goods postage cost will not be refunded please note returns is not accepted for self damaged goods

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