Red Maple 

Medium sized tree with tall straight trunk and a dense elliptic crown. It has a reddish young leafstalk, flower, and fruit, which all give the tree its name. The tree produces a profusion of flowers along its bare branches in late winter and early spring.

Distribution: Eastern and Central North America.

Uses: Widely used as an ornamental tree.  Red maple can be planted onto many types of disturbed sites in rehabilitation projects. Also used for fuel and for saw timber and pulpwood. The sap is sometimes used for producing maple syrup. Although its sap has only about half the sugar content as sugar maple (A. saccharum), the syrup tastes good. Native Americans used the bark as an analgesic, wash for inflamed eyes and cataracts, and as a remedy for hives and muscular aches. Tea brewed from the inner bark has been used for treating coughs and diarrhea. Pioneers made cinnamon and brown and black dyes from a bark extract.  This tree is preferred over silver maple or boxelder when a fast growing maple is needed. Can be toxic to horses if dry, wilted leaves are consumed.