Red Maple – Tendrils

Wearing Its Name

A beautiful bunch of Red maple (Acer rubrum) samaras, or helicopters, or keys, or seeds. Reflecting its name. But then there are red flowers, red twigs and in the autumn red leaves. Choose what you want that “red” to stand for.

You may notice though that in autumn those leaves don’t necessarily turn red. Some Red Maple trees, perhaps trees with a rebellious demeanor won’t turn red but will become yellow or orange to make the season even more gorgeous.

No problem which color the tree choses, autumn is always a lovely season, paving the way for SNOW! 🙂

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Up Here

Many of the colorful leaves are covering the ground now, providing a place for overwintering animals to snuggle down, to survive through the cold of the jacket and mitten season.

Not all leaves are down though. There are still brilliant hues out there cheering the mountains. Here a Red Maple (Acer rubrum) greets the few people that manage to come up this far.

Still not the time of year that pleases me most, when the woods are a black and white ink drawing.

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Early Spring

It’s early spring and I’m on my way to yoga as the sun shines through the still black and gray woods of the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills. The grass has greened up just a bit. Most of the trees that I’m seeing are not putting out much energy to create their new leaves yet. Even the Red Maple (Acer rubrum) which are showing up here as shades of red, are just at the very beginning of that adventure. They have bloomed and those blossoms have created samaras which are what shows up in this image. Soon though the green will arrive in crazy abundance.

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And Now Autumn

Gone are the days of carefree summer.

Oh but the things to come. Color. The color of Virginia Creeper with it’s crimson leaves.

Brilliant color. All the leaves that had been cool greens now becoming warm colors. Rich colors become ubiquitous. Red Maples turning red or orange or yellow.