What is the difference between red maple and Japanese maple, and which one is more beautiful?

Generally speaking, autumn is the viewing season for maple leaves, and among them red maple and Japanese maple are both top choices for autumn maple viewing, because both plants look very beautiful and have deep red leaves. As a result, the two trees make people feel as if they are born alike and impossible to tell apart. In fact, they are each different; below, let us learn about the differences between red maple and Japanese maple.

To clearly distinguish red maple from Japanese maple, you must first know what Japanese maple is and what red maple is. First, Japanese maple is generally distributed mostly in China's Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other regions; it belongs to the Aceraceae family and is a small deciduous tree. During care, it is best to place it in a spot with scattered sunlight, otherwise its leaves will easily be damaged. As for red maple, it is relatively shade-tolerant and cold-tolerant, and by nature likes to grow in moist, warm and cool environments; it belongs to the Aceraceae family and the genus Acer. In daily care, try to avoid the strong sunlight of hot summer days, otherwise it will cause the leaf edges to wither and curl, and may also damage its bark.

So, how can you quickly distinguish Japanese maple from red maple in daily observation? First, look at the difference in their branches and trunks. Red maple's branches and trunks are relatively hard and solid, with red-brown outer bark that is rough, while Japanese maple's outer bark is relatively fine and delicate, and green in color. Then there is the difference in leaves. Each leaf of red maple has relatively deep lobes, mostly composed of 5 to 9 segments. Japanese maple's leaf lobes are relatively shallow, with the deepest split only about 1/3 of the leaf. Next, they can also be distinguished by leaf color. Red maple's leaves remain red from spring to autumn, and fall off in winter, without changing color. Japanese maple's leaves change color according to the season; in summer and spring they are green, and only in [the other] season do they turn red, and they also fall off in winter. Finally, the flowering period and fruiting period are also different. Red maple's flowering period is from April to May, and its fruiting period is October, while Japanese maple's flowering period is May, and its fruiting period is September.

In general, the differences between Japanese maple and red maple can be observed from many aspects, among which the ones you can recognize at a glance are the opening of the leaves and whether the tree bark is rough or delicate.