Acer rubrum

Red Maple
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Average mature size of 40-60' tall and 35-60' wide, occasionally reaches 100-120' tall in the wild. Ovoid, rounded to globular growth habit. Medium to fast growth rate, 10-12' in 5-7 years. Medium lifespan, seldom lives longer than 150 years.

Native Range

Kentucky Native — Species native Newfoundland to Florida, west to Minnesota, Oklahoma and Texas. Introduced in 1860.

Flower and Fruit Details

Flowers are red or orange, rarely yellow, borne in dense clusters, March-April. Flowers do have petals, unlike silver maple flowers, which do not. When in full bloom, the flowers do add some noticeable color to the late winter/early spring landscape. Fruits are double-winged samaras, reddish, maturing to brown, from 2-3" long drooping pedicels, May-June.

Leaf and Bark Features

Deciduous: Opposite, simple leaves, 2-4" (to 5") long & wide, w/ 3-5 triangular-ovate lobes. Sinuses irregularly toothed. Leaves medium to dark green above, silvery gray beneath, with hairy veins on underside. New growth and petioles reddish. Petioles 2-4" long. Red, orange or yellow fall color. Much seedling variation in fall color, sometimes with all three colors on the same tree. Bark on young branches is smooth and light gray, becoming dark gray, rough, scaly and ridged with age.

Culture and Care

Transplants readily, bare root or balled and burlapped. Tolerant of most soils but prefers slightly acidic, moist soils, good in low wet areas. Shows interveinal manganese chlorosis in high pH soils. Tolerant of soil compaction, ozone, flooding & shade. Clay-tolerant. Prefers pH 4.5-6.5 to avoid chlorosis. Zones 3-9. Sensitive to de-icing salts. Usually not serious, but susceptible to typical maple diseases: anthracnose, verticillium wilt, bacterial leaf spot, bleeding canker, forest tent caterpillar, leafhopper, bladder-gall mite, boxelder bug, and flat-headed apple tree borer.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Often among the first trees to color in the fall. Good wildlife value. 3-season interest: Spring, Summer, and Fall. Often develops girdling roots. Shallow, surface roots may cause problems for lawnmowers, etc.

Suggested Uses

This makes a good shade tree or specimen plant.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA

The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.

  • Acer rubrum // Red Maple, Scarlet Maple, Swamp Maple ("straight species")
    Tree.
    BT000020 - BT000040 - BT000100 - BT000110 - BT000120 - BT001660 - BT001680 - BT004200 - BT004210 - BT004220 - BT004750 - BT004770 - BT004800 - BT006110 - BT006120 - BT006560 - BT006580 - BT006590 - BT006600 - BT006610 - BT006620

  • Acer rubrum 'Autumn Radiance' // Autumn Radiance® Red Maple
    Tree. Densely branched, with an oval-rounded form, reaching heights of 40-50' tall, and getting about 35-40' wide. Intensely orange-red to bright red fall color. Gets its fall color early, as much as 2 weeks before 'Red Sunset' Red Maple. A Zone 4-7 plant.
    BT001408 - BT001409 - BT001411 - BT001412 - BT001413

  • Acer rubrum 'Bowhall' // Bowhall Red Maple
    Tree.
    BT002063

  • Acer rubrum 'Brandywine' // Brandywine Red Maple
    Tree. A male, with few to no samara fruits produced. Oval-rounded to moderately columnar in habit, 35-50' tall and 25-40' wide, with leaves 4.5" long and wide. Excellent red fall leaf color changes to brilliant purple-red as the days shorten. Superb color peaks for at least two weeks. Good insect resistance to potato leafhopper. Released in 1994, this tree is a hybrid of October Glory and Autumn Flame red maples. Zone 4-8. Uses: shade tree, street tree, rain garden. Tolerates air pollution.
    BT001781

  • Acer rubrum 'Frank Jr.' // Redpointe® Red Maple
    Tree. A 2006 introduction from Schmidt Nursery, considered to be a hybrid of 3/4 Red Maple and 1/4 Silver Maple, with a growth habit changing from pyramidal to broad-pyramidal as it ages, densely branched, with good branch angles and fewer co-dominant leaders. Glossy, dark green leaves turn bright red in the fall. Grows 45' tall and 30' wide. Zone 4 hardiness and very good heat tolerance. Good spider mite resistance.
    BT001722 - BT001723 - BT001724

  • Acer rubrum 'October Glory' // October Glory Red Maple (Scarlet, Swamp Maple)
    Tree. Grows to 40-50' tall and 30-40' wide, oval-rounded habit. Flowers are red and showy. Red petioles. Holds its dark green foliage until late fall before changing colors to a brilliant, intense red or orange-red in late October/early November. Fall color is long-lasting and peaking in early November. Early autumn freezes may occasionally lessen the fall color. Severe winter temperature extremes may result in some frost cracks or damaged bark due to cambium freeze damage. Zones 4-9. Introduced in 1961 by Princeton Nursery.
    BT002560 - BT002640