COLUMBUS, Kan. -- Sometimes a common name can cause disappointment. Although it provides many benefits, for example, a case in point is the red maple tree – the Acer rubrum.

“In East Coast forests, the native red maples may turn scarlet in fall. But, they’re even more likely to turn brilliant yellow. They can even be bright orange or multicolored,” said Jake Weber, Kansas State University Research and Extension horticulturist.

The tree actually got its everyday name for year-round reasons, he said.

As one of the first trees to bloom in spring, the red maple produces clusters of tiny crimson flowers with long, showy stamens. Its emerging leaves and winged seeds are red, too. The leaf stems (petioles) remain bright red through the rest of the growing season. Then the tree’s buds add a vibrant red note to brighten winter’s colors, Weber explained.

The red maple is one of the first trees to change color in fall. But, two things determine whether that color is an additional red show: (1) the tree’s geneotype and (2) the year’s late summer and fall weather patterns.

“Genetic makeup is by far the more profound influence. And, this tree naturally produces genetic variations,” the horticulturist said.

Fortunately, reproducing the trees that have a desired fall foliage color isn’t difficult, Weber said. All that’s required is to propagate them via grafting, rather than planting their seeds.

“That’s how we’ve ended up with landscape trees that reliably turn red in fall. They’re the cultivars with names, many of which include such descriptors as flame, magenta and red sunset,” he said.

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