Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Sapindales>Aceraceae>Acer rubrum L. var. drummondii (Hooker & Arnott ex Nuttall) Sargent
Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Drummond's Red Maple is a tree of wet habitats, common in the Coastal Plain, uncommon to rare in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

Durham Co., NC 5/3/08.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

It differs from the other varieties of Red Maple (rubrum and trilobum) in having longer samaras (3-5 cm vs. 1.5-3 cm) and leaves that are densely white felty-pubescent beneath.

Robeson Co., NC 5/29/08.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

The leaves are white and very fuzzy beneath.

Robeson Co., NC 5/29/08.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Leaf underside detail.

Robeson Co., NC 5/29/08.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

This one is densely pubescent beneath, but the pubescence isn't quite white. It's possible this is var. trilobum or an intergrade.

Wake Co., NC 5/30/2011.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Sometimes treated as a full species, Acer drummondii Hooker & Arnott ex Nuttall. An alternate common name is Swamp Red Maple.

Scotland Co., NC 6/6/03.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Scotland Co., NC 6/6/03.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Bark of a medium-sized tree.

Scotland Co., NC 6/6/03.

Drummond's Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Bark of a larger tree.

Durham Co., NC 5/3/08.

More information:
Louisiana Ecosystems & Plant Identification
USDA PLANTS database

Recommended Tree, Shrub, and Woody Vine Identification Guides

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

All photographs and text ©2013 by Will Cook unless otherwise noted.