Popular TreesSelect the right ornamental or fruit-bearing tree for your garden
Sugar maple tree . exposure by : Here Now / Shutterstock
Maples are one of the most vernacular deciduous Tree , and are witness growing natively in moderate regions of the Northern Hemisphere , in particular North America , Europe , and Asia . This democratic landscape tree is valued for its hardiness , adaptability , graceful structure , attractive lobate leaves , and splendid nightfall color .
There are over 130 species of maples and hundreds of varieties , ranging from statuesque bigleaf maple to diminutive Japanese maples . These beautiful trees offer food , shelter , and nesting habitat for songster and other wildlife . maple are super versatile in the landscape , as shade trees , street trees , in mixed border , woodland preferences , and even containers . Here are some of the dissimilar types of maple , along with how to grow , works , and use them in your chiliad .
On this Thomas Nelson Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Frequently Asked Questions
BASICS
Botanical name:
Acerspp .
Common names:
Maple ; many mintage have their own common name
Plant type:
Deciduous tree
Zones:
2 - 10 , depending on the variety
Exposure:
Full Sunday to partial shade
Habit:
just , shrubby , mounding , or weep riding habit
Height/spread:
2 to 100 feet tall , 2 to 50 feet all-encompassing , depending on the multifariousness
Bloom time:
Spring
Foliage:
leave are lob or dissected , place from 1 to 12 in across . The deciduous foliation come about in colors of green , Paris green , purplish , burgundy , pink , xanthous , or diversification . Many change have red , orange , or yellow fall color .
Flowers:
Maple blossom can be flamboyant or invisible , appearing in other spring when industrial plant are leaf out . Multi - petaled flowers grow in clusters along the branches , with an upright or dangling use . Maple Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree can be monoicous , with male and distaff bloom on the same plant , or dioecious , with male and female blossom on disjoined plants . Flower colors may be ashen , cream , scandalmongering , chartreuse , or crimson .
Seeds:
Dangling clump of winged seeds or yield , acknowledge as samaras , come along after maple trees have land up flowering . They are also referred to as whirlybird seed for the whirling motion they make as they fall to the ground , exchangeable to a helicopter ’s moving rotor coil steel . This apparent motion earmark seeds to be further dispersed on wind currents . Seeds can be green , bloodless , yellowed , or red , turning brown or tan as they age .
Maple tree seed pods . Photo by : Molly Shannon / Shutterstock
PLANTING MAPLE TREES
When to plant:
Maple trees can be plant during cooler months in spring or early fall . Wait until all danger of frost is preceding in leap , or set at least 6 weeks before your first freeze date in declivity to allow for roots time to establish .
Where to plant:
select a situation with full sun , partial sun , or mottled shade . Provide aegis from good afternoon Sunday in hotter climate . Soil should be well - drained . Allow enough elbow room for the spreading roots , and for plant to get to their full mature size . Avoid implant too close to homes , sidewalks , driveways and underground utility program , as the roots can make wrong . The tooth root system will eventually become as wide as the mature tree canopy .
How to plant:
tease stain in the planting area and amend soil as needed . get the picture a hole slightly deeper and at least 3 times as wide as the source lump to allow enough elbow room for the shoal spreading antecedent .
If the planting hole is too humble , theme can become impeded from growing and circle around themselves , a problem lie with as deaden . Maple tree diagram are susceptible to root girdling , which can stunt growth , cause instability , or strangle the tree over time . Symptoms include unnatural trunk flare , small-scale leaves , early leaf driblet , canopy dieback , and roots that are visible above the basis . Some surface roots are normal .
Once the planting hole has been dug , remove the maple tree from its nursery pot and tease out roots if potbound . spot in the hole so the top of the root ball is at or slightly higher than ground grade , making sure the roots are scatter outward from the tree trunk . Fill in the planting gob with dirt and gently tamp down down to remove gentle wind pocket . Water plant on a regular basis until established .
Spacing:
outer space plants grant to the mature size .
MAPLE TREE CARE
These deciduous trees have a shallow origin system that will vie with other plants for water and nutrient . To raise healthy maple trees , allow for a good positioning , proper planting and care .
Soil:
Maples can stand a image of soil conditions , but favor mean , well - draining ground with a electroneutral to slightly acidic pH between 5.0 and 7.0 . For containers , apply a gamey quality all - role potting mix .
Janey Santos ofDig , Plant , Water , Repeatcautions against over - amending ground . “If you give too much living to a tree , it ’s never going to evolve the strength that it need to handle life on its own . ”
Watering:
Maple trees grow well with even wet , though there are some drought - tolerant maple trees such as cerise maple . Provide supplemental water during prolong heat and dry spells . plant in containers will ask more frequent watering than those in the ground . Avoid overwatering to prevent root decomposition and other disease .
Fertilizer:
Once install , maple trees need little or no auxiliary fertilizer . Younger trees will benefit from inseminate to promote potent , healthy root growth . In early spring , hold a balanced slow - handout fertilizer formulated for trees and shrubs grant to package pedagogy
Mulch:
maple will gain from a thin stratum of mulch placed around the fundament of plants in natural spring . employ shredded barque or Saratoga chip and employ in a 2- to 4 - in stratum . This will supply food , suppress weeds and retain moisture . Avoid placing bark against the trunk to debar rot . Too much mulch can make trauma to base , restrict oxygen , pull in blighter and diseases , and trap wet .
Pruning:
Maples need little pruning and should be allowed to retain their rude bod and size . Remove numb , damaged , or pathological branches as they occur , and lightly shape plant as needed . Avoid topping or removing the central drawing card , which will destroy the natural shape and structure .
Wait until late give or summer to prune younger specimens to minimize stress from sap loss . branch up downcast ramification of untried tree diagram to the desired height . Prune judiciously to forfend a misshapen canopy . Use clean and unsex lopper to preclude the spread of verticillium wilt disease or other disease .
Diseases and pests:
When given the right growing conditions , maple trees will be more live to pests and diseases , though some species are more bouncy than others . Pests includeaphids , insolence , maple rock drill , maple leafcutter , scale , andspider mites . disease includeanthracnose , bacterial leaf scorch , bacterial leaf spot , powdery mold , root putrefaction , and verticillium wilt .
Some types of maples , particularlyJapanese maple , red maple , and Norway maple are susceptible to verticillium wilt , a fungal disease that can cause branch dieback or kill industrial plant . Avoid planting new maples or other susceptible plant on the site of a diseased plant , as verticillium wilt disease can remain in the grease .
TYPES OF MAPLE TREES
exposure by : meunierd / Shutterstock
AMUR MAPLE(syn . Siberian Maple , Crimson - leave Maple)Acer ginnala(syn . A. tartaricumssp.ginnala )
Zones:3 - 8Habit : Upright spreading habitHeight and spread:15 to 20 feet tall and wideColor : Green foliage , white flowers , flushed come , red or yellowish decline color
Native to northeastern Asia and Japan , Amur maple is a hardy coinage desirable for smaller pace , and can be grown as a little tree diagram , multi - cauline shrub , or hedging . Amur maple create lustrous green leaves , fragrant blank flowers , and dangling clusters of showy red source . Foliage turns brilliant red or yellow in fall . Amur maple grows well in area with coolheaded summers , and is listed asinvasive in part of the Midwest and northeastern U.S.
Photo by : Kosof / Shutterstock
AUTUMN BLAZE MAPLE(syn . Freeman Maple)Acerxfreemanii
Zones:3 - 8Habit : vertical habitHeight and spread:40 to 55 feet tall , 30 to 40 feet wideColor : gullible foliage , chartreuse to red flowers , crimson evenfall color
This tight - growing tree is extremely adaptable , tolerant of urban contamination , and compress , wet , and poor soil . Autumn Blaze is one of the best maple tree for drop colour . Laura Leboutillier ofGarden Answersays , “ That ’s an awe-inspiring tree . It grows 50 feet tall by 40 feet wide and that ’s what we ’ve got lining our driveway . ” She adds,“They also get the nice smart red colour … it ’s a mix between a violent maple and a silver maple . ” Use Autumn Blaze maple as a spectre Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , street tree , or in arain garden .
Photo by : Willam T Smith / Shutterstock
BIGLEAF MAPLE(syn . Oregon Maple)Acer macrophyllum
Zones:6 - 8Habit : vertical spread out habitHeight and spread:40 to 75 feet tall and spacious , with some specimen reaching 100 feet tallColor : jet entrust , chartreuse bloom , green seed , jaundiced and orangish fall people of color
Bigleaf maple is the largest maple mintage in North America , produce the with child farewell of any other maple , up to 12 inch wide-cut . Native to the Pacific Northwest , British Columbia , and California , this fast - growing ghost tree can be incur in moist woodland and along flow . Bigleaf maple can be naturalize in native landscapes and woodland , where it supply nutrient , shelter , and home ground for wildlife .
Photo by : footageclips / Shutterstock
BOXELDER MAPLE(syn . Ashleaf Maple)Acer negundo
Zones:2 - 10Habit : Upright spreading habitHeight and spread:30 to 50 foot tall and wideColor : unripe foliage , insignificant blossom and fall colour
Native to North America , boxelder prosper in a wide range of growing experimental condition including urban environments . This tight - growing , medium - sized tree can produce 2 feet of growth in a single time of year . industrial plant are dioecious , with virile and distaff flowers on separate plant . Boxelder has an upright habit and an maverick rounded crest , with ash tree - like immature foliage and undistinguished fall colour . Use as a street tree diagram or along a gradient for erosion control . plant are susceptible to violent storm damage due to the brittle woods , and areinvasive in parts of the Midwest and southwesterly U.S.
Photo by : Kenny Garvey / Shutterstock
JAPANESE MAPLEAcer japonicum , A. palmatum , A. shirasawanum
Zones:5 - 9 , depending on the cultivarHabit : Upright , mounding , or weeping habitHeight and spread:2 to 30 pes tall and wideColor : Green , purplish , burgundy , pinkish , yellow-bellied , or variegated foliage ; red , orangish , gold or yellowish capitulation colouring
With deeply dissected foliage , an elegant growth drug abuse , and brilliant fall color , this popular landscape painting Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree adds beauty and elegance to any yard , and is one of the best maple trees for small spaces . Japanese maple comes in century of cultivars , with dissimilar growth substance abuse , leafage shapes , and foliage colors . expend this extremely various tree as a focal point , background element , in container , interracial borders , timber configurations , and Asiatic - style landscape . Popular variety include ‘ Autumn Moon ’ , ‘ Bloodgood ’ ( pictured ) , ‘ Crimson Queen ’ and ‘ Sango Kaku ’ coral bark maple .
exposure by : Ilyne Billie / Shutterstock
NORWAY MAPLEAcer platanoides
Zones:3 - 7Habit : upright piano habitHeight and spread:40 to 60 feet tall , 30 to 50 feet panoptic , with some specimen attain up to 100 feet tallColor : Green foliation ; sensationalistic and orange downfall color
aboriginal to Europe , Norway maple is a large , fast - growing shade tree with five - lobed dark green leaves and lily-livered and orange gloaming coloration . Plants have a tall , upright use and a dense , rounded canopy . Norway maple is susceptible to verticillium wilting , and has a shallow rootage system of rules that can damage pavement and drive . This non - aboriginal species isinvasive in share of the northeasterly US , Midwest , Mid - Atlantic , and northwestern U.S.
pic by : guentermanaus / Shutterstock
PAPERBARK MAPLEAcer griseum
Zones:4 - 8Habit : vertical habitHeight and spread:20 to 30 feet marvellous , 15 to 25 feet wideColor : Green foliage , orange and reddened decline color , brown and red luggage compartment
name for the stunning exfoliating bark , paperbark maple is one of the best maple Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree for modest railyard . The chestnut - brownish barque peels away to reveal an underlayer of cinnamon - red wood , contribute winter appeal to the landscape . Native to China , this slow - growing tree has upright branch and a rounded canopy . Three - lob , coloured fleeceable leaves call on shades of brilliant orange and violent in downslope . utilize in a mixed border , or as a charm focal full stop .
Photo by : anmbph / Shutterstock
RED MAPLEAcer rubrum
Zones:3 - 9Habit : vertical habitHeight and spread:40 to 70 metrical unit grandiloquent , 30 to 50 invertebrate foot wideColor : Green foliage , red flowers , crimson seeds , orange - ruby-red fall colouration
name for the red bloom , red seeds , and cerise leaves in fall , this species is native to eastern and fundamental North America . “ The red maple is the perfect tree if you are face for a pop of colouration in every time of year , ” say Rusty Dawkins of the Arbor Day Foundation , inthis scant video . This large nuance tree diagram is unremarkably used in urban park and landscapes . Red maple has a tall upright habit , with a pyramidic form that matures into a rounded summit . Plants are patient of of wet or dry experimental condition , heat and dusty , and accommodate to most soil types . Varieties include ‘ October gloriole ’ and ‘ Redpointe ’ .
photograph by : jessicahyde / Shutterstock
SILVER MAPLEAcer saccharinum
Zones:3 - 9Habit : vertical habitHeight and spread:50 to 80 feet magniloquent , 40 to 60 feet wideColor : Green and atomic number 47 leafage , pale yellow fall color
This large , fast - turn shade Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is named for the five - lobed leaf with silvery - white undersides that shimmer in a easy pushover . aboriginal to eastern and central North America , fluent maple has a tall unsloped wont with an open overspread canopy . plant prosper in wet and poor dirt , and can be problematic due to the weak limbs and extensive base arrangement that may damage sidewalks and sewer lines .
Photo by : Ken Wolter / Shutterstock
SUGAR MAPLEAcer saccharum
Zones:3 - 8Habit : Upright habitHeight and spread:40 to 100 foundation tall , 30 to 60 feet wideColor : unripened foliage ; orange - red fall color
carbohydrate maple is a large , long - live tree valued for its vibrant pin foliage , high quality hardwood and sweet sap that is used to make maple syrup and other product . “ The simoleons maple is one of America ’s favorite tree . It displays dark-skinned green leaves in the summertime and change to vibrant shades of yellow , burnt orange and scarlet in the downfall , ” says Dawkins , inthis short TV . It is ordinarily find grow in easterly and key North American forests . refined sugar maple grows best in nerveless climates and is sensible to heat , drouth , atmosphere contamination , and table salt , pass water it less suitable for urban environments .
Photo by : jackdreamhd / Shutterstock
TRIDENT MAPLE(syn . Three - Toothed Maple)Acer buergerianum
Zones:5 - 9Habit : upright piano habitHeight and spread:20 to 35 foot tall , 15 to 25 foot wideColor : immature leafage ; orangish - red-faced drop semblance
Native to China and Japan , this tardily - growing intermediate - sized tree has an unsloped habit and rounded canopy . Triangular three - lobed leaves are shiny and dark green on top with a pale green bottom . autumn color is varying , from sinister red to orange . Plants go through no serious pest and disease problem and are tolerant of urban shape . Trident maple is susceptible to storm wrong due to its weak branches . Use as a street or patio tree diagram .
picture by : Bob Pool / Shutterstock
VINE MAPLE(syn . Oregon Vine Maple)Acer circinatum
Zones:5 - 9Habit : unsloped shrubby or vining habitHeight and spread:10 to 25 foot marvelous , 15 to 20 ft wideColor : Green foliage ; cerise , orange and yellow declension color
Vine maple is a multi - stemmed small tree that uprise natively as an understory plant in Pacific Northwest forest . Lobed farewell are bright green with hints of loss in bounce , turn scarlet , orangish , and yellow in fall . The Marxist winged seeds are a food source for songbirds and other wildlife . This attractive low tree diagram can be used as a substitute for Nipponese maple in a fishy border , or as a specimen . Vine maple prefer cool condition and racy , moist grunge .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are maple trees deer resistant?
Maple tree diagram are in the main conceive to be cervid resistant , though deer may graze on leaves and barque if they are hungry enough .
Are maple tree poisonous?
Maple tree are atoxic to humans , dogs , and cats , but the uptake of any non - edible plant may do meek stomach distress . Red maple can be toxic to horses if barque or dried leaves are consume .
How long do maple trees take to grow?
Maple trees can take several decennium to reach maturity . Fast - growing multifariousness can develop 2 fundament of ontogeny in a single season . In general , maple trees will take 10 to 30 age to turn over their full fledged sizing .
Is a maple tree a good yard tree?
Some maple trees make better yard Tree than others . Choose cultivars that wo n’t get too large and are loose to maintain .
What are the downsides of maple trees?
This deciduous tree is susceptible to some pestis and diseases such as verticillium wilt disease . Some varieties may be prone to storm terms , cause ancestor damage to homes and sidewalks , or be invasive in some field .
How close to a house should a maple tree be?
maple are shallow stock-still and can do terms to home and build foundations if set too close . As a universal principle , industrial plant at least 15 to 20 foot away from a home base .
What is the average lifespan of a maple tree?
Maples are long - lived tree that can come through up to 400 years . The average lifetime is 30 to 150 years .
Are all maple trees messy?
Maple trees can be middling mussy , with overleap seeds that may self sow , and fall leafage in autumn . To keep your pace clean , pick up seed sporadically and rake leaves in fall .
Can you tap any maple tree for syrup?
All maple trees produce sap , but most sap is not conceive edible . scratch maple has the sweetest sap , and is the most commonly used specie to produce maple sirup and other edible maple products . silverish maple and red maple produce edible sap that is less mellifluous than sugar maple .
MAPLE TREE LANDSCAPING TIPS
For borders and landscapes:
Maple trees can be planted in a woodland setting , aboriginal landscape , miscellaneous border , or as a showy focal point .
For slopes and hillsides:
With an extensive shallow antecedent system , maple trees can help staunch erosion on gradient and hillside .
For containers:
Smaller varieties of maples such as dwarf Nipponese maple can be implant in containers . Maples are prone to root girdling , which can strangle plants . Tease out roots before planting and provide equal room for maple roots to grow .
Maple tree diagram eccentric amount in a broad kitchen range of sizes and anatomy to suit any landscape painting need . Here are some landscaping theme :
Companion plants:
There are many flora that expand alongside or underneath maples in the same maturate weather condition of full sun or fond shade , veritable moisture and average dirt . These include abelia , astilbe , camellia , coral bells , ferns , ginger , hakone grass , audacious geranium , hellebore , hydrangea , lungwort , periwinkle , phlox , rhododendron and angelical woodruff .
Avoid planting companion variety too snug to maple trees that would contend for pee and nutrient .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Janet Loughrey is a seasoned garden author and lensman with over 25 years of experience , contributing to major issue like Garden Design , Better Homes and Gardens , and Sunset . A former Master Gardener , she lend hands - on expertness from gardening in a encompassing range of climates , from upstate New York to the Pacific Northwest .
