John Shaw / Poplar (Populus sp.) tree plantation, hybrid species, in autumn, Boardman Tree Farm, near Irrigon, Oregon, USA. October.

Marie Read / Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) holding an acorn in its bill whilst perched on tree stump, with autumn foliage, New York, USA, October.

Steve Downer / Timelapse of Sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) leaves developing, UK. March. Controlled conditions.

Jack Dykinga / Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) and Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) trees that are covered with moss, Hoh Temperate Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA. June 2017.

Theo Bosboom / Maple leaf in autumn, viewed from underwater with bubbles and foam of mountain stream, La Hoegne, Ardennes, Belgium.

Andres M. Dominguez / Great grey shrike (Lanius meridionalis) perched on a branch of Montpellier maple (Acer monspessulanum). Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. southern Spain. December.

Kevin Schafer / Pine (Pinus sp) and Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) trees in autumn, Ginkakuji Gardens, Kyoto, Japan

Ross Hoddinott / Maple leaves backlit on lightbox, Broxwater, Cornwall, UK. November 2013.

Floris van Breugel / Late fall colors linger among the mossy trees (Acer macrophyllum) in the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park. Washington, USA. November 2012

Floris van Breugel / Emerging spring leaves adorn the mossy trees - Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) and Alder (Alnus rubra) in Mt Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest. Washington. April 2013

Floris van Breugel / Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) leaves floating in a small pond in late autumn in Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum. Washington USA

Pascal Tordeux / Lone Maple (Acer) in a field against cumulo-nimbus and mammatus clouds. Picardy, France, May.

Marie Read / Red Maple (Acer rubrum) leaves covered with early snow in autumn. Ithaca, New York, USA, October.

Marie Read / Red Maple (Acer rubrum) leaves covered with early snow in autumn. Ithaca, New York, USA, October.

Stephen Dalton / Maple (Acer sp) leaves in autumn

Colin Varndell / Close up of Field maple buds (Acer campestre) Dorset, England, UK February

Laurie Campbell / Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) fallen leaves in autumn, Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, Stirlingshire, Scotland, October

Merryn Thomas / Maple leaves (Acer sp), UK. October 2009.

Jack Dykinga / Yucca (Yucca schottii) plants growing amongst Bigtooth maple trees (Acer saccharum grandidentatum) in autumn, Huachuca Mountains, Coronado National Forest, Arizona, USA

Philippe Clement / Silver / Creek / River maple (Acer saccharinum) leaf in autumn colours, native to eastern North America

Simon Colmer / Field maple tree (Acer campestre) twig and buds in winter, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Field maple leaf {Acer campestre} frozen in ice, Cornwall, UK. October

Jack Dykinga / Blue Hen Falls with Sugar Maples (Acer saccharum) and American Beech trees (Fagus grandifolia), Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Nick Upton / Sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) flowers, Wiltshire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) flowers, Wiltshire, UK, May.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Palmate or Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China

Andy Sands / Field maple (Acer campestre) ancient pollarded tree, London, England, Uk, November

Andy Sands / Field maple (Acer campestre) ancient pollarded tree showing hollow trunck (bolling) London, England, Uk, November

Jack Dykinga / Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) draped in moss and surrounded by lush forest understory of sword ferns (Polystichum munitum) Prairie Creek Redwoods State and National Park, California.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Leaf in yellow from a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, Qingchuan County, Sichuan province, China

Oliver Hellowell / Maple leaves (Acer sp) in autumn, Westonbirt, England, UK.

Oliver Hellowell / Maple leaf (Acer sp) which is ragged in autumn, Tennessee, November.

Andres M. Dominguez / Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) perched on maple, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Huesca, Spain, October.

Matthew Maran / Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) veteran tree, Devon, UK, July.

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Maple (Acer sp) tree on lake shore within conifer forest in autumn, Kabetogama Lake, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Cyril Ruoso / Maple (Acer sp) leaf hanging in the air on a Spider (Araneae) web strand, Picardy, France, October.

Paul Williams / North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) with a maple syrup tapping tube. These tubes are used to carry sap to large tanks. Porcupines have learned to bite the tubes so that they can drink the li...

Paul Williams / North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) with a maple syrup tapping tube. These tubes are used to carry sap to large tanks. Porcupines have learned to bite the tubes so that they can drink the li...

Paul Williams / North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) with a maple syrup tapping tube. These tubes are used to carry sap to large tanks. Porcupines have learned to bite the tubes so that they can drink the li...

Will Watson / Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album) basking on Field maple (Acer campestre) leaves, lane-side hedgerow, Worcestershire, England, UK, July.

Jeff Foott / Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) trees in autumn, Acadia National Park, Maine

Jeff Foott / Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) trees in autumn, Acadia National Park, Maine

Jeff Foott / Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) in autumn, Acadia National Park, Maine

Jeff Foott / Birch (Betula sp) and Red Maple (Acer rubrum) trees in autumn, Acadia National Park, Maine

Jack Dykinga / Moss-covered branches of Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) trees with the Elwah River in the background, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA. With the removal of dams, salmon can now migrate up ri...

Jack Dykinga / Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) and Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) trees that are covered with moss, Hoh Temperate Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA. June 2017.

Jack Dykinga / Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) and Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) trees that are covered with moss, Hoh Temperate Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA. June 2017.

Jack Dykinga / Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) and Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) trees that are covered with moss, Hoh Temperate Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA. June 2017.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Maple tree (Acer) with colourful leaves in autumn, Spain, November.

Graham Eaton / Hadrian's Wall at Sycamore Gap, between Steel Rigg and Housesteads, Northumberland, England, UK, March 2017.

Graham Eaton / Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) in Sycamore Gap, Hadrian's Wall. The wall is constructed on The Whin Sill, a layer of hard intrusive, volcanic Dolerite. Between Steel Rigg and Houseteads, Northumberlan...

Tony Wu / Japanese maple (Acer sp) leaves, showing autumn foliage. Near Lake Kawaguchi-ko, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, November.

Tony Wu / California maple aphid (Periphyllus californiensis) adult female with a cluster of nymphs gathered on the underside of a Japanese maple (Acer sp.) leaf in the autumn. Kanagawa, Japan.

Sylvain Cordier / Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) seeds, Alsace, France

Adrian Davies / Fallen Maple leaves (Acer sp.) in autumn

Colin Varndell / Field maple (Acer campeatre) leaves opening in spring. Dorset, UK March

Connor Stefanison / Vine maple (Acer circinatum) and Sword ferns (Polystichum munitum) in a coastal temperate rainforest in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada June

Connor Stefanison / Vine maple (Acer circinatum) and Sword ferns (Polystichum munitum) in a coastal temperate rainforest in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada June

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) trees in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) leaves in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) leaves in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) trees with conifers in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) trees with conifers in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) trees with conifers in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) tree in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) tree in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) tree in fall at temple, Kyoto, Japan

Hiroya Minakuchi / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) trees in fall, Kyoto, Japan

Colin Varndell / Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) bud in winter, Dorset, UK, January.

Scott Leslie / Maple (Acer sp) tree along river in autumn, Mersey River, Kejimkujik National Park, Canada

Scott Leslie / Maple (Acer sp) trees in autumn, Mersey River, Kejimkujik National Park, Canada

Scott Leslie / Maple (Acer sp) trees in autumn, Mersey River, Kejimkujik National Park, Canada

Scott Leslie / Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) trees in autumn, Mount Carleton Provincial Park, New Brunswick, Canada

Colin Varndell / Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) blossom, Dorset, UK. May.

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in deciduous forest in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in deciduous forest in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in deciduous forest in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in deciduous forest in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Hiroya Minakuchi / Maple (Acer sp) trees in deciduous forest in autumn, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Cyril Ruoso / Colourful Maple tree leaves (Acer) fallen in water. Kamikochi valley, Japan

Cyril Ruoso / Fallen Maple leaf on moss in autumn, Takayama, Honshu Japan, October.

Nick Turner / Maple leaves (Acer), in Autumn colour at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, UK. October.

Cyril Ruoso / Maple (Acer sp) tree in a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation, Kansai Region, Japan, November 2008.

Cyril Ruoso / Maple (Acer sp) tree in a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation, Kansai Region, Japan, November 2008.

Cyril Ruoso / Maple (Acer sp) branches in autumn colours overhanging watefall, Mitarai Canyon, Tengawa Valley, Yoshino-Kumano National Park, Kansai, Japan, November.

Cyril Ruoso / Maple (Acer sp) branches in autumn colours overhanging watefall, Mitarai Canyon, Tengawa Valley, Yoshino-Kumano National Park, Kansai, Japan, November.

Cyril Ruoso / Maple (Acer sp) branches in autumn colours overhanging watefall, Mitarai Canyon, Tengawa Valley, Yoshino-Kumano National Park, Kansai, Japan, November.

Mike Read / Norway maple (Acer platanoides) seeds on lightbox, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK October

Mike Read / Norway maple (Acer platanoides) individual leaf on lightbox, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK October

Mike Read / Field maple (Acer campestre) individual leaf on lightbox, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK October

Mike Read / Field maple (Acer campestre) three different coloured leaves on lightbox, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK October

Mike Read / Field maple (Acer campestre) individual leaf on lightbox, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK October

Jeff Foott / Red Maple (Acer rubrum) in fall, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee