Red Maple Sapling Trees

At a Glance

• Use: Specimen tree, screening, parkland
• Not suitable for hedging
• Height: Up to 20m
• Growth: Fast. Upright, rounded crown
• Soil: Most soils
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Type: Large deciduous tree
• Species: Acer rubrum
• Bareroot Delivery Only: Nov-March

Appearance, Growth & Uses

Red Maple is a large, upright tree with little red and orange flowers on the bare branches in early spring, before the leaves burst.

This big tree reaches about 20 metres in the UK with an upright habit, with a canopy about half as wide as it is tall, up to 10 metres across.

The three-lobed leaves emerge bright green in spring, maintaining their fresh appearance through summer.

The autumn leaf colour is spectacular red and orange, and the winged seeds also have pretty pink membranes.

Red Maple is a great screening tree, suitable for large gardens and parks. It isn't really suitable for a hedge; use field maple instead.

• Buy larger Red Maple trees for instant impact.
• Browse our other Maple Trees, or all our sapling trees & hedging.

Growing Conditions

• Soil: Most soils, prefers slightly acidic
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Moisture: Likes moist ground
• Avoid: Very poor dry earth, chalky ground
• Maintenance: Very tough, minimal once established
• Hardiness: Very hardy

Red Maples grow well on almost any soil, apart from poor and dry sites, especially shallow chalk.
They grow well in damp soil near water, and don't mind being flooded in winter.

They give their best autumn colour on acidic soil, meaning anything less than pH 7 (neutral).
Alkaline soil causes the autumn leaf colour to fade to a somewhat dull yellow red.

Red Maple is a very tough plant that shouldn't need special attention once it has established.

Garden Design Ideas

Use Red Maple as a specimen tree in large gardens and parkland settings where its upright form and spectacular autumn display can be appreciated.

Plant at 8-12 metre spacing for effective screens.

The upright habit is excellent for framing views and creating vertical structure.

History and Trivia

Red Maple, Acer rubrum, was imported to Europe in the 1650's from North America, where it is known as Swamp Maple or Soft Maple.

In its native habitat across eastern North America, from southeastern Canada down to Florida, it grows in swamps, wet woods, and upland forests.

The tallest Red Maple on record in the UK was a touch over 24 metres tall, at Bagshot Park, Surrey, measured in 1907, but it is long gone.