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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Swamp Maple

This beautiful tree is Swamp Maple, also called Red Maple. Its flowers are everywhere on the island, along the roadside, and glimmering from the forest among spruce and deadfall.
It is Nova Scotia's most abundant hardwood, since it grows well in swamps, bogs, softwood forests and rocky uplands. The early settlers tapped the Swamp Maple as well as the Sugar Maple when sugar was scarce. So we could try it! Deer browse on its winter twigs.

Soon its glory will subside into something that will appear, at first glance, more ordinary. But just for a moment we are able to see it for what it really is.




Information taken from Gary L. Saunders, Trees of Nova Scotia (Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests, 1970).




2 comments:

  1. JanetApril 25, 2010 at 11:32 AM

    Swamp maples are so lovely right now and then again in the fall their leaves will be scarlet and gold. The Indian Pear is about to bloom too and that will be stunning.
    I have both near my house.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Karen thisoldhouse2.comApril 26, 2010 at 1:03 PM

    My husband's favorite tree, especially for it's color.

    ReplyDelete

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