Spring Red Leaves, Part 2: The Fiery Beauty of "Purple-Leaf Maple" on Tai Ping Mountain

By the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team

 

Every spring, as the season arrives, the lush green forests of Tai Ping Mountain National Forest Recreation Area gradually sprout new buds, and many wildflowers and grasses wait to bloom. During this time, the maple-like leaves of the purple-leaf maple, after shedding in winter, grow anew in early spring, displaying a deep purple to fiery red hue, allowing visitors to enjoy the sight of maple leaves in spring on Tai Ping Mountain and take in the exotic scenery.

The purple-leaf maple trees on Tai Ping Mountain are mainly located on both sides of the central staircase. With sunlight shining through, the leaves glow a brilliant red, vibrant like a painting, making it the most eye-catching scenery. Therefore, visitors are recommended to walk up along the staircase, as if strolling under a tunnel of red leaves, and then slowly make their way to the pristine forest of Tai Ping Mountain, immersing themselves in the refreshing atmosphere of the cypress forest.

 

The purple-leaf maple can be appreciated for its red foliage starting from April. Here, you don’t have to wait until autumn for the leaves to change color. Instead, after shedding in the autumn and winter seasons, when new buds emerge in the following spring, deep purple leaves begin to grow, maintaining this color until around October before shedding again.

 

The leaves of the purple-leaf maple are actually very similar to the more commonly known maple leaves, but they have more deep lobes and serrated edges, which often leads to them being mistaken for other maples. Regular maple trees only start to change color in the fall as temperatures cool, whereas the purple-leaf maple displays a deep purple color from the moment new leaves emerge.

 

 

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