Canadian red maple adds specks of color to the fall foliage season

A red leaf from Canada in "fall color season". /VCG Photo

In September, the fall foliage season has started in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Fall color spots become a spectacular tourism attraction.

The beautiful fall foliage season in Canada. /VCG Photo

Beautiful fall foliage season in Canada. /VCG Photo

Many trees turn red in fall, among which the maple tree is the most famous. Being Canada's national emblem, the red maple leaf appears on the country's national flag.

The national flag of Canada has a maple leaf at its center. /VCG Photo

Maple refers to more than 120 species of a genus called acer. They all have easily recognizable palm-like leaves and distinctive winged fruits. Of all acer species, over two-thirds grow in east Asia, especially China. Ten of maple species are native to Canada: sugar, black, silver, bigleaf, red, mountain, striped, douglas, vine, and manitoba maple.

Maple is not only important to Canada symbolically, they are also ecologically and economically significant. /VCG Photo

Sugar maple is the primary contributor to fall foliage season in North America, particularly in Central Ontario and Quebec. Except for its magnificent beauty in fall, sugar maple is also famous for its maple syrup. While all maple tree saps contain sugar, the sap of the sugar maple has the highest concentration. People boil sugar maple sap to produce maple syrup. It takes about 40 liters of sugar maple sap to make one liter of syrup. The maple syrup industry is concentrated in Quebec and worth about half a billion Canadian dollars annually.

The Canadian flag displays a stylized maple leaf, and maple is Canada's official arboreal emblem. /VCG Photo

Maple is a universal symbol of strength and endurance in Canada. The image of the maple leaf is widely used in a variety of designs, including banknotes, military ranks and sports teams.

About 'Plants & Nations'

"Plants & Nations" is a series of articles and pictures about common plants in the world. It serves as a guide to beautiful plants from different countries.

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(Cover image via VCG, designed by CGTN's Sa Ren)

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