{"product_id":"swamp-red-maple-acer-rubrum-var-drummondii","title":"Swamp Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSwamp Red Maple \u003cem\u003e(Acer rubrum var. drummondii)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSwamp Red Maple is Louisiana's own variety of the Red Maple — adapted over millennia to the wet, warm conditions of the Gulf South's bottomland forests and bayou swamps. In late winter, before a single leaf appears, its branches erupt in clusters of tiny red flowers that flush the swamp with color — the first sign that the bayou year is beginning again. In autumn, its leaves turn brilliant scarlet and orange, bringing a flash of New England color to the Louisiana landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBotanical Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sapindaceae (Soapberry family)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eAcer rubrum var. drummondii\u003c\/em\u003e is native to the Gulf Coastal Plain from Florida to Texas; the dominant Red Maple variety in Louisiana's bottomland forests and swamps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5–9\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40–60 feet tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e January–March (one of the earliest native trees to bloom)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wet to moist; tolerates standing water and seasonal flooding; thrives in swamps, bayou edges, and bottomland forests\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCultural \u0026amp; Heritage Significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Red Maple was a significant tree for Indigenous peoples of the Southeast, its sap tapped for syrup (though less sweet than Sugar Maple), its inner bark used medicinally for eye washes and as an astringent, and its wood used for tools and furniture. Acadian settlers in Louisiana recognized the Swamp Red Maple as a familiar relative of the maples they knew in Nova Scotia and New England, and it became a landmark tree of the Cajun bottomland landscape — its winter bloom a calendar marker, its autumn color a brief, brilliant reminder of the northern homeland left behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEcological Role\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSwamp Red Maple's early winter and spring bloom is one of the most critical nectar sources of the year for native bees, honeybees, and early-emerging butterflies. It is a host plant for over 285 species of Lepidoptera caterpillars — making it one of the most ecologically productive native trees in North America. Its seeds (samaras) feed finches, grosbeaks, and squirrels in early spring when food is scarce.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIn the Acadian Dooryard Garden\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cem\u003eCajun Prairie Heritage | The Acadian Dooryard Garden\u003c\/em\u003e collection at Big Mamou Enterprises, Swamp Red Maple is the bayou's seasonal clock — blooming in winter, blazing in autumn, and anchoring the Acadian landscape year-round.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Mamou Enterprises","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49765754274032,"sku":null,"price":2.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0824\/7171\/5056\/files\/image_49dcbd16-a022-4c50-86cf-93b5c6934b96.png?v=1779809240","url":"https:\/\/realtimecajun.com\/products\/swamp-red-maple-acer-rubrum-var-drummondii","provider":"Big Mamou Enterprises","version":"1.0","type":"link"}