The Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is a member of the maple family. It also goes by Swamp Maple and Scarlet Maple. It is a close relative of the Silver Maple and shares many of the same traits.
Red Maple is a shade-tolerant deciduous tree that grows to a height of 60-80 feet and two feet in diameter.
Red Maple grows naturally across most of the eastern United States.
The leaves are deciduous, opposite, toothed and appear to have only three lobes, rather than the typical five lobes for maple leaves. The lower two lobes look more like large teeth. Its sinuses are very shallow. Red Maples sprout their leaves earlier than most other eastern deciduous trees and typically turn color (fiery red) much earlier than others, as well.
Seeds are produced from April-June. The seeds are winged nutlets called "samaras" and are usually about .75" long. Red Maple samaras are the smallest seed of any maple species in the United States.
The bark is dark gray and black with deep fissures.
The wood of the Red Maple is not well suited for lumber or veneer. It is most commonly used in landscaping as an ornamental shade tree. The only pest that really bothers the Red Maple is the Asian Long-Horned Beetle.
You are searching for a metal pill container about head-high. Bring your own pencil. You might also want a log-extracting tool such as a pair of tweezers. Please avoid searching for this cache when church gatherings are in progress. Thanks go to Father Timothy Kroeger of St. Joseph Catholic Church for granting permission for the placement of this cache.