Red Maple, Large Trees

Acer rubrum: Bareroot Canadian Red Maple Trees in Standard Sizes

The Scarlet or Red Maple, Acer rubrum is a big, vigorous tree with dark green leaves that turn a fantastic bright, mottled red and orange in Autumn (in the right conditions, otherwise it will be more yellow). During winter, the red-brown young twigs provide some interest. In early spring, before the leaves emerge, the branches are covered in puff-balls of red and warm orange flowers. The winged seeds have pink membranes.

It has an upright habit, and makes a great screening tree for a big garden. The biggest specimens in America are over 30 metres tall, but 20 metres is typical in the UK. The canopy about half as wide as it is tall.

Standard trees are the largest size that we deliver; you can also buy younger Red Maple saplings.
Browse our other Maple varieties, or all of our trees.

Delivery season: Maple trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they are best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it is convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Features:

• Height: 20m
• Soil: Looks best on moist, acidic soils
• Rich red Autumn colour
• Bareroot delivery only: November-March

Growing Red Maples

This hardy tree prefers a rich, moist, neutral to acidic soil, which is necessary for good Autumn colour: plenty of sun also helps. It is not recommended for chalk or dry soils: it should grow, but it will be stunted and won't colour well in Autumn. It loves clay if the pH is right, and although it won't grow in really wet soil like a willow, it doesn't mind winter waterlogging or flooding.
It is suitable for exposed locations, but not on the coast.