Maple is a tree very widespread in Russia and Europe. It is often planted in park areas where it gets along well with oaks. Landscape designers are very fond of maple for its rapid growth and frost resistance. This allows you to grow these trees even in the northern latitudes, where they take root well. A distinctive feature of maple is the diversity of its species and the beauty of the leaves. They delight with their patterns and colors. Autumn maple leaves are especially solemnly beautiful . A description of such bouquets can often be found in literary works. Not only writers, but also schoolchildren have an interest in this tree. In grade 6, biology paid close attention to the description of maple leaf. Children study its structure in a special section of the textbook. In this article we will provide a description and photo of maple leaves, as well as a little talk about the species diversity of this beautiful tree.
Where does maple grow?
Maples are considered one of the most common trees on the planet. They grow in the northern regions of Europe, in North America and even in the tropics. Botanists claim that even on the African continent one species of maple is found.
About twenty varieties of this tree grow in our country. It is noteworthy that maples very rarely form dense thickets. They prefer to grow alone, but sometimes form small groups.
Maples feel best in mountainous areas. They can be found even at an altitude of three thousand meters above sea level. Therefore, a lot of species of maple grows in the Caucasus, there are botanists there are more than eleven.
Japanese maple is listed in the Red Book. This magnificent tree immediately captivates the imagination with its unusual appearance. In the biology textbook, the maple leaf is described in great detail, including the Red Book tree.
a brief description of
Before proceeding to the description of maple leaves, we would like to tell you more about the tree itself. Usually it grows quite high - from ten to twenty meters. Among the variety of species, shrubs are also found. They usually do not grow above ten meters, the average growth ranges between five meters.
Most maples are deciduous. In the summer, they delight with lush greenery of a bizarre shape, and in the fall they change color. By winter, maple leaves fall (biology describes this process in grade 6).
Maple has very beautiful wood, which is often used by joiners in their work. It is characterized by white with yellow and reddish veins.
Wood Features
Not only maple leaves are interesting and unusual (we will give a description in one of the following sections of the article), but also some of its features. They will be discussed later.
For example, it is very important that a tree can survive almost any frost. They will not harm him. And in the spring it will wake up one of the first, delighting residents of the cities with delicate greenery.
Also, the lack of water does not frighten the maple. In the heat, many trees dry and lose their foliage, and with a long drought can die completely. But this does not threaten the maple, it will calmly survive the difficult period, later releasing even more new shoots.
We already mentioned that the tree grows very fast. In one year, it can increase by one meter, and all shoots will be covered with dense foliage.
A maple description would not be complete without mentioning another feature of it. People around the world love sweet maple juice. In spring, it is easy to obtain by making a small incision on the trunk. Often, various sweets are made from juice. For example, residents of most American states cannot imagine dessert without maple syrup. It is produced by different companies and is very popular.
Leaf Description: General Information
What is a leaf? What is the definition given in botany? If we refer to educational materials, we can say that the leaf is a plant organ located above the ground. It is mounted on the side of the stem and performs three important functions.
First of all, it is photosynthesis, without which it is impossible to imagine any plant. Also through the leaves are the processes of evaporation and respiration.
The sheet consists of several parts, which we will list in the following list:
- Plate. This part is the largest and widest. The leaf plate is constantly turning after the sun's rays. Its main task is to get as much sunlight as possible.
- Petiole. It moves away from the base of the plate, and with it it is attached to the plant. Petiole has a narrow and elongated shape. It is he who helps the plate to turn freely behind the sun. In the place of attachment to the plant, it has a slight thickening.
- Base sheet. This is the place of attachment to the stem or branch.
- Stipules. Not all plants have them. Stipules are usually outgrowths located at the base of the leaf. They are very tightly pressed against the petiole and can have a bright color.
It is noteworthy that the leaves may have one or more leaf plates. Between themselves, they differ in shape and structure.
Now we can proceed to the description of the maple leaf (in biology in the 6th grade, students begin to study this topic). Let's start with the form.
Maple Leaf Shape : Description
The tree has palm leaves. At first glance, this form is very similar to palm-shaped, but it is only at first glance. In the textbook on botany, a number of comments are attached to the description of the maple leaf, which make it possible not to confuse its shape with similar ones.
In maple, the leaf lobes are quite wide and look large, while the palmate form is characterized by narrow and slightly elongated lobes. On maple leaves (the description will be incomplete without mentioning this nuance) there are veins. Usually there are from three to nine on one blade, and one of them always has a more pronounced size and runs in the center.
Our characteristic is identical to the description of acutifolia maple leaf and fits most known species. However, some trees stand out for their leaf shape, which does not coincide with the general description.
Characteristics of leaves depending on the species
Some maples may surprise with shamrocks. This form looks rather bizarre, but it is not uncommon. You can see it, for example, at the Manchurian maple or Maximovich.
Ash-leaved maple is distinguished by a complex-feathery structure of the leaf. It can consist of three, five and even nine leaves. Nerds are still trying to figure out what exactly their number depends on.
The maple leaf has simple leaves, which very much resemble a hornbeam tree. They differ in feathery venation.
Maple blossom
If a maple is planted in your yard, then you probably know that during the flowering period bees always gather around it. And this is not surprising, because the tree is classified as a honey plant. Its small yellowish buds emit a very pleasant delicate aroma that attracts not only bees, but also protein.
Many beekeepers specially plant maples near apiaries. It is believed that this type of tree is very suitable for this.
Flowering of trees occurs at the very end of winter or at the beginning of spring. Usually, by the end of April, absolutely all the trees bloom. Petals are often colored in red, green and orange. But still, yellow flowers are most often found.
Maple flower structure
In a biology textbook, a description of maple leaves is often accompanied by a characteristic structure of the flowers. They usually have five petals arranged symmetrically to each other. It is noteworthy that the flowers are going in different shapes. On some trees this is an umbrella, on others a brush. There are maples where the flowers are gathered in a visor.
However, this characteristic does not matter when it comes to structure. Each flower has two pistils and about twelve stamens.
Maple fruit
In Soviet times, different types of maples were actively planted in parks. But today such close attention is not paid to the improvement of urban areas, so no one is engaged in mass planting of trees. However, there are only more maples. What is the reason for this fact?
Everything is very simple. The fact is that maples reproduce well by self-fall. Their fruits are able to germinate and literally in a couple of years turn from a timid sprout into a full-fledged young tree.
Such survival is provided by the very shape of the fruit. They resemble a small propeller, which almost until the frost keeps on a branch. Then gusts of wind carry these “helicopters” to all the environs where they are waiting for the onset of spring.
Usually no more than ten percent of the seeds germinate, but this amount is enough to maintain a maple population.
Disease
Maple leaves are very fond of pests, so they are often attacked by various insects. For example, aphids, Lepidoptera larvae and Asiatic barbel are very harmful to trees. These pests almost completely eat maple leaves and as a result, trees die in large numbers.
Trees and fungal diseases are also susceptible. Most often they suffer from powdery mildew, black mold and root rot. These diseases damage maples of varying severity. Some completely destroy the tree, while others simply spoil the thick and beautiful crown.
Specialists offer fungicides to fight pests and fungal diseases. Each problem has its own type of solution. I want to clarify that maple is a very tenacious tree. With proper care, it can cope with any pest and is quickly restored. Therefore, despite a large number of dangers, it often becomes the main decoration of the garden.
Maple Benefits
Of course, maples are primarily valued for their beauty. After all, these trees delight with openwork leaves, an unusual trunk color and incredibly bright shades of the crown in the autumn. You can admire the maple for a long time, so landscape designers often plant it separately from other trees, thereby creating a certain accent.
From time immemorial, musical instruments have been made from maple wood. There are many ancient violins created by the hands of great masters who were once a beautiful and strong tree with a spreading crown.
In the USA, baseball bats are often made from maple, as well as bowling pins. They are durable and easy to care for.
Folk omens and mystical legends
People have always considered maple to be an amazing tree and have associated many beliefs with it. For example, in the courtyard of the house it was customary to plant maple. At this moment, the life of the tree was closely intertwined with the soul of the owner of the house. While he was in good health, he was pleased with his beauty and maple. But after the death of a person, the tree usually dried up within a few days.
In ancient times, it was believed that maple reacts to the state of people. If a suffering person touched him, then the tree died in a few days. It absorbed all the negativity accumulated in the soul of the offended, and could not cope with it.
One of the popular signs says that before the rain the maple begins to secrete juice and as if to cry. In spring, this phenomenon is considered as a sign of the onset of heat.