Red maples are large, deciduous trees with 3 to 5-lobed leaves of medium green. Fall color varies with cultivar. Size also varies with cultivar; the species ranges from 40 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide. Its habit is generally upright and rounded to oval. Relatively fast growing. Tiny red spring flowers are followed by winged seedpods called sumara. Young bark is grey and smooth, becoming a warm brown with an attractive scaly texture as it ages.
Grow in nearly any soil as long as it is well drained. Prefers loamy soils. Grows in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Can be chlorotic in alkaline soils. When planted in lawns that are over watered, it may become shallow rooted.