Native to eastern and central North America, the red maple can reach a mature height of 40 to 60 feet and is used as a shade tree. In early spring before the leaves emerge, tiny red flowers cover the canopy of the tree, a wonderful sight against a blue sky. The samaras, or winged seeds, turn bright red in early summer and then fade to brown and fall to the ground. The cultivars of red maple are much more consistent with good fall color. Red maples are beautiful, but they do not tolerate dry clay soils, where the leaves may become chlorotic, yellowing from an inability to uptake manganese from the soil. Their native habitat is moist woods and riverbanks, where soil is moist with pH usually below 6.