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Red Maple Throughout
the Seasons
| | This month I want to highlight a tree that gets a lot of attention in the fall but deserves attention all year round! Acer rubrum, or the red maple, is a stalwart tree native to Eastern North America. Red maples have the greatest north-south distribution of any eastern tree species, ranging from Canada to Florida and west to east Texas. Naturally, this tree can be found in moist woodlands, wet swamps, along stream banks, as well as in upland forests and mountainous bluffs. Its wide geographical range indicates that it can probably thrive on a wider range of soil type, texture, moisture, pH, and elevation than any other forest species in North America. At Bayard, all our red maples (straight species and cultivars) are located along the River Walk and within the Friendship and Woodland gardens. | | As red maples are among the first trees to flower in the spring, the small (but showy) red flower clusters provide early season pollen and nectar to wildlife, and the leaves host many species of moths including the Cecropia moth and the Rosy Maple moth. It may be alarming to see caterpillars on your maples, but remember, these little guys are needed to feed local birds such as the Downy Woodpecker, Wood Thrush, and Purple Finch. The samaras (or more commonly, sticky helicopters for the nose), mature in May and June, providing early summer fun for children. | | This tree is admirable not only for its adaptability to various growing conditions, its’ provision of food and nesting materials for native wildlife, but also its’ tenacity to survive. The samaras are usually successful in germination every year and will blanket every inch of soil they can with small enterprising seedlings. Red maples are also prolific sprouters, eking out any bit of life left in a stump or broken limb. | | Several new sprouts emerged from this hollow and broken tree. | | They end the season with varying shades of fall foliage-but not always the bright red hue we’ve come to expect. The straight species red maple does not reliably produce a stunning red fall color, but there is an overwhelming collection of cultivars that have been developed to achieve that effect. The earliest turning red maple here is Acer ‘Autumn Flame’, followed by the Red Sunset maple, which is renowned for its cold hardiness. Acer ‘October Glory’ is a popular choice for its’ consistency in fall red color, and it is usually the last to turn (2021-0094). When the weather cooperates, varying hues of red can be seen from early October to late November. The red maples’ bloom signifies the beginning of a new season, and its’ senescing leaves indicates the end of a plentiful harvest-get to know this significant and abundant tree on your next walk along the water. | | Jessica O'Callahan, Grounds Supervisor | | |
Our days are rapidly changing as we approach the spring season. We are expecting large specimen trees to be delivered within a few weeks. Often we rave about these new trees, sometimes over 15 feet tall, that are sourced from all over the country. But we must not forget about the very small introductions as well. We strive for diversity with the goal of protecting species, educating our visitors, and ensuring a long living landscape. Typically the rarest and most vulnerable trees cannot be found in a nursery. This is an opportunity for us to source material to grow on our own.
Oak Park is a historic landscape that we are planting for future generations to enjoy. Our plant hardiness zone is predicted to increase to zone 8 within the next 20 years. We want to ensure Oak Park, a historical Fredrick Law Olmsted design, remains healthy and long living. Our director, Kevin Wiecks, began our oak program about seven years ago. Acorns, saplings, and cuttings are sourced from all over the world with the help of the International Oak Society and other institutions. He increased our collection of oak species from 10 to over 30 in just a handful of years.
| | This winter, the Arboretum received over 600 acorns from all over the country. This amounts to 26 species that we do not have in our collection. Organization is key when receiving all these acorns. When they arrive, we perform a float test. This is a method to evaluate acorn viability by placing them in water, where healthy acorns sink and non-viable ones float. Then we determine if the species needs cold stratification before planting. Cold stratification involves placing acorns in a refrigerator to mimic winter conditions and break dormancy, promoting germination. While this is species dependent, a majority of the acorns we received spent 60 days in the refrigerator. | | | After 60 days, we planted the acorns in quart sized containers and keep them in a weather and critter protected location. Germination rates can be unpredictable with acorns collected in the wild. This is why planting over 600 acorns can hopefully ensure we see germination with all 26 species. Now it is a waiting game! Over the next month or so we hope to see some oaks popping out of the soil. These will be grown over a few years before being planted in the landscape. Currently we have 34 species in our living collections and 26 species in propagation totaling to 60 oak species! The United States hosts 91 native oak species in total. The species I am most excited about is, Quercus laurifolia, or the Laurel Oak. It has oval leaves that lack the lobes you commonly see in oaks. It is semi-evergreen and grows incredibly well in floodplains. I am hopeful it will thrive on our coastline! | | Bayard Cutting Arboretum’s oak program is growing year by year. Make no mistake, we plan on planting large oak specimens this spring! But we recognize the most effective way to increase diversity and protect oak species is to start with an acorn. Often I walk around Oak Park and appreciate Olmsted’s vision for showcasing oaks in an informal manner. Taking it a step forward and learning about the many species and diversity in a single genus makes the experience that much more special. I encourage you to visit our Visitor Center to learn more about our oak collection and view historic Oak Park in a different perspective. | | Joy Arden, Landscape Curator | | |
Stunning crocus popping out for early pollinators.
Nick Coon, Horticulturist
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Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
All around the world people celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees, visiting local parks and enjoying other tree related festivities. What better way to commemorate the day than with a visit to Bayard Cutting Arboretum?
Free of charge and family friendly. More information.
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SAVE THE DATE
Bayard Cutting Arboretum’s Annual Fundraiser
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Fields & Flavors at the Farm: Take a stroll on the farm and savor the flavors of the season for this unique tasting experience.
August 9, 2025 from 6pm-8pm
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Inspired by Nature: A Collection of Artworks by
Linda and Scott Hartman
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Manor House Annex: March 27 - April 20, 2025
Artist Reception: April 5, 2025 2 PM - 4 PM
Gallery Hours: Thursday-Sunday 11 AM - 4 PM
After 33 years of successful years working as art teachers in the Brentwood, School District, artists Scott and Linda Hartman have focused their retirement years on creating, exhibiting, and selling their own original artworks. Their inspiration for the art exhibited in this show, “Inspired By Nature,” reflects a variety of landscapes, still-life images, fiber landscapes, and natural wood furniture created in various media (watercolors, acrylics, fiber and wood). The artists' goal is to interpret nature through well designed works of art that remind viewers of the beauty of the world around us.
https://www.hartmanstudio44.com/
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Join certified forest therapy guide, Linda Lombardo of Wild Heart Nature Connection, on a walk to reconnect with the natural world around us.
Saturday, April 5th, 2025 - 10:30AM to 12:30PM
Fee: $45 per person.
Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes and warm clothing for walking outdoors. Register here!
| | Find More Educational Programs on our Website! | | Help Support Bayard Cutting Arboretum | |
Tax deductible donations can also be made by check payable to
Natural Heritage Trust and mailed to
Bayard Cutting Arboretum, PO Box 907, Great River, NY 11739
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