How Do Maple Trees Reproduce?
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Age
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Maple trees are able to reproduce starting around 50 years old. Maple tree reproduce by producing angiosperm, which means they develop seeds within a fruit. Maple trees are deciduous, which means they drop their leaves annually in autumn.
Spring
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When warmer weather arrives and the snow melts, it's the start of maple tree reproduction. In response to the season change, the maple tree grows leaves.
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Flowers
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As spring progresses, the tree sprout flowers. They come in a variety of colors such as green, yellow, orange and red. The flowers are a source of food for hungry bees and other pollinators. The tree produces pollen particles that look like a yellow haze and often cause allergy symptoms to erupt in those who come in contact with it.
Variations
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The maple tree is found in several countries including the United States and Canada. Its large range partly causes the vast differences between the types of maple trees, such as silver maple and sugar maple. Bees generally tend to pollinate within a limited range only. This accounts for the variety of differences with colors and fruit.
Fruit
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Around midsummer, the flowers fall from the tree. In its place, the tree grows fruit. The fruit appear as thin, v-shaped spinners, commonly called helicopters by children. When they are ready, they release and spin towards the ground.
Stratification and Germination
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The seeds lie dormant on the ground until the casing dissolves. Usually the seed will germinate within the year, depending on weather and type of maple tree. The trees grow between 30 to 145 feet depending on the type of maple and these trees will live for over a hundred years.
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