Maple Tree Blooms

So our Red Maple Acer rubrum is blooming right now.  Soon it will leaf out and be covered bright red leaflets and seeds.

This tree is native to eastern North America, and I am at the southern edge of it's range. (zone 9) While it can grow as tall as 75' it tends to not grow so tall here.

My husband planted this tree before we moved into our house in 2000.  When he planted it it was less than a foot tall, and probably a seedling from the same year.  Now it is about 15 foot tall, and starting to provide shade for our house during the summer in the evening.

Deciduous trees are good for reducing your heating and cooling bills, by providing shade in the summer and dropping their leaves in the winter, allowing more sunshine to help warm your house.