Create memories in fall and reminisce in its warmth all winter. ~Hints Of Life

‘Larger than life’ sugar maple at Central Park

Often times a weekend trip to Catskills or/and Adirondacks (though there is nothing like  weekend getaways) to experience the stunning fall colors and foliage can get dismantled by the burden of city life. I currently belong in this category of all consumed New Yorker. But as someone famously said; with fall breeze and autumn leaves, fun begins. And there is a lot of fall fun in store right here in the Big Apple.

At the heart of the city, Central Park is experiencing some amazing fall colors, finally! I say finally because the temperatures in the city have mostly been ranging between 70-75 degree Fahrenheit till mid October (unusual this year). But the trees have started to change color now. The sugar maple tree (below) bursting in its last beauty is the sight of Central Park.

Sugar maple as it bursts with its last beauty

Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple is a landscape standout tree and can be seen in the warmest places in the United States. The leaves of the sugar maple can form a complete color wheel throughout the year, turning several shades of green, then from yellow to orange, and finally to red in the fall. The diversity of this tree makes it impressive all year round but especially in the fall.

Sugar maple is popularly know as hard maple, or rock maple, a large tree in the soapberry family, native to eastern North America and widely grown as an ornamental and shade tree. It is a commercially important source of maple syrup, maple sugar, and hardwood lumber useful in furniture manufacture and flooring. Some trees develop special grain patterns such as bird’s-eye maple (with dots suggesting eyes of birds) and curly and fiddle back maple, with wavy and rippled grain, respectively. The sugar maple may grow to a height of 40 m (130 feet). It has a dense crown of leaves, which turn various shades of gold to scarlet in fall. Its three- to five-lobed leaves appear after the greenish yellow flowers of spring. The fruits are paired samaras, or keys. Smooth grayish bark on the trunk and branches gradually furrows with age. (Source: britannica.com)

Sugar maple leaf exposed in the sunlight

In Central Park you will find a dense population of sugar maple trees in the North Meadow, mid park from 97 to 102 streets. I found this gorgeous tree during my Friday morning run through Central Park. Known for its ‘landscape standout’ characteristic, it captured my heart and soul at just a glance (as you see in the first picture). I stood in its shade and enjoyed the crisp fall morning breeze for sometime. Then, landing on my knees I began collecting a few of the fallen scarlet leaves 🍃 to add them to my fall memories #2017 box. Because come winter my only sight will be miles of bare, naked branches and fall will seem like a distant memory. Looking around I saw other fitness enthusiast and pass byers stealing a glance of the larger than life sugar maple tree. Of course, others were creating their own beautiful memories by taking pictures and selfies with the tree. I left my sweet spot with a promise to visit it again tomorrow at the same time.

Catch the ‘last hurrah’ of these gorgeous trees before they go dormant for the winter. If you plan to visit Central Park to enjoy the fall colors, this particular sugar maple tree is located near the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain with The Mall behind you.

Signing off with best wishes for fall!

Recommended article:

MAP: Find the colorful fall foliage of Central Park’s 20,000 trees

http://www.centralparknyc.org/about/blog/guide-to-fall-foliage.html?utm_campaign=201611_blog_foliage&utm_content=tw&utm_medium=social&utm_source=cpc-engagement

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