Red maple is a beautiful deciduous tree, which will typically grow 40 to 70 feet with a rounded to oval crown. This handsome shade tree displays red colouring during different seasons of the year. It has the distinction of having the greatest north to south distribution of all trees on the east coast. Pioneers once made ink and and black dyes from an extract of the bark. Red maple is prized as an ornamental shade tree because of its rapid growth, highly colored flowers, fruit (winged samaras) and spectacular autumn colours. Ideal for bonsai.