When I ask friends which landscape tree they love most, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) get the nod more often than any other species. These beloved trees offer a staggering range of leaf color, and are also small enough to find a suitable place in almost every garden. This lovely small maple is also suitable for growing in containers on the patio.

Japanese maple care is not complicated but it’s important to offer them some help during the hottest months of the year, including July. This month is the very heart of summer. So you’ll want to protect your Japanese maple trees now to help them thrive the rest of the year as well.

Here are 5 important steps to take to safeguard your Japanese maple trees in July.

1. Don’t Let Trees Dry Out

Dieback and Japanese maple leaves turning brown in summer is usually caused by a lack of moisture. In July, you need to keep on top of the moisture situation. If you see your tree’s leaves looking dry or scorched, you’re not doing enough. This is particularly true during the tree’s first year after planting. Be particularly careful if you are growing a Japanese maple in a container.

Keeping the soil well-watered under Japanese maples is the number one task for gardeners. How often should you water Japanese maple trees? The frequency depends a lot on climate and where the tree is sited.

During hot weather, you may need to water container-trees every single day. The soil of a potted Japanese maple should never be permitted to dry out. Count on watering a tree planted in the soil two times a week if it gets direct sun, once a week for a tree sited in the shade. A moisture meter, like this one from Amazon, is a useful gadget and will make sure you are acting on correct information.

2. Follow Good Watering Practices

While watering is crucial for Japanese maples in July, it is also very important to follow the best watering etiquette. Make these “rules” your habit:

• Every time you water your trees, give them a deep watering to make sure that the entire root system is hydrated. This means more than a quick splash. For trees in the soil, let the hose run and water around the drip line for several minutes. For container trees, be sure to water until the excess flows out the drainage holes.
• Although rainfall can provide a good source of water for an established Japanese maple, toss in a deep watering every few weeks to top off the irrigation.
• Well-draining soil is important since these trees will not tolerate consistently wet soil that comes from overwatering.
• Water early in the morning. Later in the day, it will be hotter and the water you provide your Japanese maple will evaporate. While some gardeners prefer to water in the cool of the evenings, moisture that remains on the trees at night can result in fungal diseases.
• Don’t use overhead sprinklers that wet the maple leaves, since this can cause leaf scorch during the heat of the day. Invest in a good soaker hose, like this one from Amazon, to deliver water to the tree’s root zone.

3. Provide Heat & Wind Protection

We think of July as hot and still, but in some regions, hot winds are a feature of summer. The combination of hot, drying winds and blazing sunshine will take a toll on your trees. You can avoid this issue by planting your Japanese maple in a site where it is protected from harsh winds and also shaded from hot sun. If it’s already established in an exposed location, you’ll need to step in.

Windy conditions in summer will both stress your Japanese maples and likely limit the leaf color. Mulch can provide wind protection as well as keep roots cool. If you already mulched around the tree in spring, it may be time to add some more.

Organic mulch is best for Japanese maples, since it will disintegrate into and improve the soil over time. You’ll want to weed the area under the tree up to the drip line before you add mulch. Then water deeply and well since the mulch will seal that moisture into the ground. Finally, add a 2-3 inch (5-7.6 cm) layer of mulch over the area beneath the canopy, extending it to the drip line.

The mulch should be far enough away from the trunk that there is no chance of it touching. Consider using a pine-based mulch, like this one from Amazon, for this acid-loving tree.

4. Prune Now, If Necessary

Japanese maples don’t need much pruning. They naturally have an elegant shape. But July is the perfect time to lightly prune Japanese maples to keep trees healthy and looking good.

Use sharp, sterilized pruners, like these expert-approved Felco pruning shears, and snip out badly-placed or crossing shoots. If you want to reduce the size of your tree, trim long branches back to a well-placed side branch. Make clean cuts just on top of the branch collar.

If your maple’s canopy is dense, consider thinning it out a bit to allow light and air to penetrate. Focus on inward-growing branches and be sure to maintain the tree's natural shape. Postpone major pruning tasks for late winter or early spring when the tree is dormant.

5. Watch for Pests & Diseases

It’s a sad fact of summer: pests and diseases show up to party hearty. Japanese maples are not immune to this, so inspect them regularly for aphids, spider mites, scale, and fungal infections. These trees are tough and can shrug off a lot of problems, but when they are attacked by insects or diseases in July while they are fighting heat stress, they can be seriously impacted.

If you spot an issue, act promptly. Treat fungal diseases with fungicides, like this spray from Amazon, and bugs with the appropriate organic insecticides. Neem oil, which you can also find on Amazon, mixed with water and dish soap works for many insects.

Ah, the magic of Japanese maples in spring! Even against a backdrop of spring-blooming bulb flowers popping out colorful heads, these small, beloved maple trees stand out.

Japanese maples start their blooming period in March or April. Their tube-shaped flowers appear in shades of red, purple, yellow, or pink. The blossoms are lovely, but the long-lasting appeal of these trees comes more from their stunning foliage and graceful structure.

With proper Japanese maple care, your tree can last for five decades or more. Keep your tree looking its best by taking these important steps in April.

1. Check for Damage

With winter on its way out the door, spring is the perfect time to make sure your Japanese maple has passed the cold months unscathed. Give your tree a spring checkup before the leaves mature, if possible. It’s easier to see winter damage.

Take a careful look at the tree, walking around it slowly and inspecting the branches. Identify any branches injured by snow, ice or wind. Prune these off carefully to prevent further damage. Use clean, sanitized pruners.

Shop Live Trees

2. Prune Lightly

Spring is not the moment to reshape your tree or undertake heavy pruning. The tree is just waking up from dormancy and is ready to grow. In April, limit trimming to structural issues. If you note crossing branches, eliminate one or both now. The time for heavier Japanese maple pruning is the dormant season in late winter.

Most Japanese maples are grafted to hardy rootstock. Look for the graft line on the maple’s trunk. If there's growth below that line, prune it out now. This will give the tree more energy to build its canopy for the new season.

3. Be Water Wise

Spring looks different in different parts of the country. Some regions are wet in springtime, with spring rains washing the landscape for days on end. Elsewhere it still may be dry and cool, while southern regions can be hot and dry. Check the weather report first, but the soil will tell you most of what you need to know to help your tree blaze through spring.

Remember, Japanese maples like the moisture somewhere in the middle. They grow best in moist, well-draining soil. Either extreme – dry or wet – is detrimental. Lack of water in April stresses the tree and can prevent leaves from developing. Waterlogged soil can damage and even kill the roots. If your soil is dry when you stick one finger into it, water around the tree deeply.

In April, the tree needs deep watering once or twice a week, whether from the rain or the garden hose. Do the task in the early morning to help your maple prepare for the heat of the day.

Shop Japanese Maple Essentials

4. Review the Soil

While you're checking on broken branches and the soil moisture, take a close look at the soil itself. Rain, snow and cold can cause compacted soil, hard as rocks. Compacted soil is not a good way for the tree to start the growing season, since water cannot seep through to the roots.

You can improve compacted soil by aerating the top layer. You can either dig small trenches running from the tree trunk outward to let the water, nutrients and even air enter. Alternatively, break up the hard top layer using an aerator like this one from Amazon around the base of the trunk. This has the same effect as the trenching, enhancing water flow into the soil.

Once the compacted soil is addressed, work in some organic compost and/or a balanced fertilizer. This will give the tree a boost for growth for the year.

5. Mulch Mulch Mulch!

I think of mulch as a soft blanket for my maple tree. I use wood chips, but pine needles are also a good choice. Keep all the “rules” of mulching in mind. Never pile the mulch so that it laps up onto the trunk and keep the level modest, no more than a few inches.

What does mulch do? It offers so many benefits for the tree: helping to hold the moisture into the soil, protect the soil from heat and cold, and keeps down weeds looking to share the nutrients in the maple’s soil. It’s an easy gesture and goes a long way toward a good year for your tree.

6. Inspect for Pesky Pests

This is not a one-and-done task, alas. Japanese maple pests in April are looking for the soft new growth a maple offers to land and dig in. Some insect pests, like aphids, literally dig their sap-sucking mouth parts into the new leaves to sip out the fluids inside. Signs of aphid issues include leaf curling, leaf discoloration, and/or sticky residue called honeydew that attracts ants. Look underneath the leaves for aphids.

Scales are another spring pest, since they can overwinter on or near the tree. Japanese maple scales are small and they blend in with the tree bark. That means you have to keep a close eye out for their tiny bodies, shaped like oystershells, and covered in wax. Inspect the lower section of the trunk, which is where you will usually find them in spring. Horticultural oil spray will reduce the problem. Signs of a scale infestation include dropping leaves and twigs dying back.

When my sister and I were in grade school, we used to watch the Miss America pageant on television. In our childish ignorance, we would label some of these gorgeous ladies “pretty,” some “okay,” and some “not pretty at all.”

This comes to mind when ranking the best varieties of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), since all of them are so beautiful. In fact, I’ve never met one of these small, ornamental maples that didn’t enchant me with their delicate leaves and fiery autumn display.

In my opinion, growing Japanese maples in your landscape is always a good idea. But if you want to create a truly spectacular autumn landscape, here are my top recommendations for the best Japanese maples. These picks all feature breathtaking fall foliage and there's a tree for almost every different growing situation.

Best Japanese Maples for Fall Color

There are so many beautiful varieties and cultivars of Japanese maples available. No matter whether your space is large or small, sunny or shady, hot or cold, you can find a tree with colorful fall foliage and year-long interest. Here are some of my favorites for different landscaping needs.

1. Best for Cold Zones: ‘Beni Kawa’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum ‘Beni Kawa’
• Height and spread: 15 feet (5 m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-9
• Sun exposure: Full sun, or part shade in hot locations

Generally, Japanese maples are said to thrive in USDA growing zones 5-9, which may seem to leave those who live in USDA zone 4 out of luck. But that’s not necessarily true. Anyone seeking a Japanese maple for a colder climate should try the cultivar ‘Beni Kawa’.

This is a lovely, upright tree with a vas-like shape and bright red bark that makes it one of the best trees for four-season interest. The leaves start out dark green, then change in fall to gold and red. It is very cold tolerant and can thrive all the way down to zone 4

Buy a Beni Kawa Japanese maple tree on Amazon.

2. Best for Hot Zones: ‘Seiryu’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum ‘Seiryu’
• Height and spread: 15 feet (5 m) tall, 12 feet (4 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 5-9
• Sun exposure: Full sun

If you are looking for a Japanese maple cultivar that supports the heat better than its fellows, consider ‘Seiryu.’ Most dissected, or lace-leaf, Japanese maples are weeping varieties so this may be the sole upright cultivar with those sought-after lacy leaves. They are red-tipped in spring, green in summer, and bronze-gold in fall.

Get your Seiryu Japanese maple from Home Depot today.

3. Best for Small Gardens: ‘Filigree’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Filigree’
• Height and spread: 3-6 feet (1-2 m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade

Here’s another lace-leaf variety, with showy, dissected leaves. But this one is a mounding rather than upright variety, with branches that cascade down, sometimes to the ground. It's a great small tree for the front yard since it won’t get much taller than you are, so it won't dominate the landscape. The green leaves turn gold in fall or the 'Red Filigree' cultivars turn a deep, almost purple red.

You can find Red Filigree Japanese maples for sale on Amazon.

4. Best for Large Landscapes: ‘Osakazuki’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki'
• Height and spread: 25 feet (8m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Dappled or filtered sun

‘Osakazuki’, which stands about 25 feet (8 m) at maturity, is about as tall as a Japanese maple gets. Its graceful branching stems make it an appealing tree in all seasons, even before we consider the foliage show.

Choosing the right cultivar, like this stunning option, is the best way to get good fall color on Japanese maples. The deeply lobed leaves appear orange-tinted in spring, mature into bright green, then blaze a vibrant scarlet in fall.

Get gorgeous fall foliage with an Osakazuki Japanese maple from Amazon.

5. Best for Containers: ‘Velvet Viking’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum var. dissectum 'Monfrick'
• Height and spread: 3 feet (1 m) tall, 6 feet (2 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 4-9
• Sun exposure: Filtered to full sun

There are many Japanese maples you can grow in containers, but ‘Velvet Viking’ is a personal favorite. It is a dwarf cultivar with a mounded and weeping form. The branches spread gracefully, and are covered with delicate, red leaves from spring to fall, with the red tones turning more vibrant in fall. Despite its lacy leaves and fragile beauty, this cultivar is tough and very cold tolerant.

Find Velvet Viking from Monrovia at a local retailer near you.

6. Best for Sun: 'Bloodgood'

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum atropurpureum 'Bloodgood'
• Height and spread: 20 feet (7 m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

The “atropurpureum” in the botanical name labels this maple as a plant with red-to-maroon leaves—and the name 'Bloodgood' is another clue. So yes, Bloodgood has crimson leaves that shine in fall.

This eternally popular Japanese maple cultivar offers reddish-purple leaves in summer if grown in shade, greener summer leaves in a sunny location. But all Bloodgood trees have red foliage in fall.

Buy Bloodgood Japanese maple trees from Home Depot online.

7. Best for Shade: ‘Orange Dream’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’
• Height and spread: 10 feet (3 m) tall, 6 feet (2 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full to dappled sun

This stunning Japanese maple is a shrub-size tree that keeps changing leaf-color all during the growing season. The foliage grows in yellow with pink edging, then turns to shades of orange before blazing canary yellow for fall. ‘Orange Dream’ has an upright form and works well in a border or as a container tree on a patio.

Order your Orange Dream Japanese maple from Amazon today.

8. Best for Winter Interest: 'Sango Kaku'

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku'
• Height and spread: 25 feet (8 m) tall, 15 feet (5 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade

Bright bark and lovely branch form are the best attributes of a Japanese maple in winter, and 'Sango Kaku' offers both. This tall, graceful cultivar has yellow-green foliage that turns gold in autumn, but it’s the red bark that makes it amazing even after the leaves fall. It's a beautiful tree for winter interest in the garden.

Shop high-quality Sago Kaku maples from Wayside Gardens.

Bigleaf maple trees (Acer macrophyllum) are not maples for small yards. These deciduous trees can grow to over 100 feet (30 m) tall with a similar spread. But anyone with a large property might consider giving it a go, as long as they have the proper bigleaf maple habitat.

Where do bigleaf maple trees grow? It’s a good question to ask before planting one of these trees in your garden. Read on for more information about bigleaf maple habitat as well as facts about the trees themselves.

Where Do Bigleaf Maples Grow?

Bigleaf maple trees are native to the Pacific Northwest/Olympic Peninsula and it's in this type of climate they're most frequently found. These spreading maples grow best in areas with cool to mild winters like USDA zones 5 through 9. They're most prolific in cool, moist conditions but can also grow in the warmer, drier regions.

In terms of ideal bigleaf maple habitat, the trees prefer wetter areas like river terraces, flood plains and seepage areas. To get strong trees in upland sites, the soil must be deep and the moisture abundant. In these conditions, bigleaf maples trees grow fast – up to 36 inches (91 cm) a year -- and can live for 150 years or more.

Bigleaf Maple Leaves

The huge leaves of these maples are one of their most distinctive features. Each leaf has five lobes with cutouts up to three-quarters of the leaf length. In fact, bigleaf maple leaves are the largest of any maple leaf up to 6 inches (15 cm) long and 9 or 10 inches (25 cm) wide.

When the tree is in leaf, it provides dense shade, since the canopy is thick with foliage. It puts on a show in autumn as the bigleaf maple leaves turn golden and orange. Even in winter, after the leaves have fallen, the tree provides moderate shade thanks to its extensive branch system.

Bigleaf Maple Care

If you're considering planting one of these maples, you'll want to know the ins and outs of bigleaf maple care. You may get a bigleaf maple to survive on poor soils, but it will not thrive. Instead, plant it in deep, well-drained soils where the moisture is abundant.

These trees grow best from seed and a mature maple starts to produce seed when it is some 10 years old. Plant them in an area that gets partial shade for best results; they won’t do well in deep shade.

Most maple trees have single trunks and are tall, lovely specimen trees. They have the classic lobed leaves that turn bright colors in autumn. You can also find maples that grow in clumps. Some clump maples, like red maple, are varieties of maple with multiple trunks. Others, like vine maple, are true maple clumping varieties. Read on for more information on clumping maples. 

Clump Maple Trees

Maples are one of America’s favorite trees with lovely flowers in the spring, curious whirligig seedpods in the summer, and brilliant, fiery leaves in the fall. While most maples grow into tall shade trees on single trunks, a few varieties of maples grow in clumps.

Most clumping maples can be found in commerce in a single trunk growth habit. Maple clumping varieties include the Amur maple, hedge maple, paperbark maple, and vine maple. These trees do not grow very tall when they have a clumping growth pattern and often grow taller when sold as single trunked trees. 

Maple Clumping Varieties

The vine maple (Acer circinatum) is one of the clumping maples more often sold as clump maple trees than single trunked trees. They are native to the Pacific northwest and thrive in USDA zones 4 through 8.

Amur maples (Acer ginnala) are clumping maples that only grow to about 15 feet (5 m.) tall. Famous for their cold hardiness, they thrive in USDA zones 3 through 8. They are considered invasive in some states because of the thousands of seedpods produced by each tree.

Maples That Grow in Clumps

Paperbark maples (Acer campestre) with their cinnamon colored exfoliating bark can grow to 50 feet (17 m.) tall. Hedge maples (Acer campestre) grow to 35 feet (12 m.) tall. Both are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8 and can be found in clumping forms. They are also sold as single trunked trees.

Some maples that grow in clumps are maples with multiple trunks. One example is the red pointe red maple (Acer rubrum 'Redpointe’). It is a multi-stemmed deciduous tree with an upright growth habit. It is a popular shade tree growing to 45 feet (15 m.) tall and 30 feet (10 m.) wide.

Maple trees are beautiful additions to a backyard with their “helicopter” seeds and lobed, palmate leaves that turn bright colors in the autumn. There are over 100 species of maple trees, and red maple is one of the most popular. 

If you plan to transplant a red maple tree, you’ll want to do it properly to make sure the tree survives the move. Read on for information on moving a red maple as well as tips on how to care for a maple tree transplant.

Transplanting Maple Trees

It’s possible to grow a red maple tree from seed if you are patient, but it will be years before your tree is big enough to make a statement in the landscape. Transplanting maple trees produces results much more quickly. The key to moving a red maple successfully is to act while the tree is young. The bigger the tree, the more difficult it is. If a tree is truly large you’ll do better to call in a professional.

When Do You Transplant Red Maple?

When you transplant a red maple tree, you’ll want to do it at the appropriate time. Red maples are deciduous, which means they lose their leaves and go into dormancy in winter. You’ll want to start the process to transplant a red maple while it is dormant. The first step is to root prune the tree, a step you take several months before the actual move.

Moving a Red Maple Tree 

To root prune the red maple, draw a circle on the soil around the tree with a radius of about two feet (60 cm.). Use a sharp spade to cut deeply into the ground around the circle circumference. This snips off the maple’s long roots and encourages shorter, feeder roots to form. These shorter roots can travel with the tree to its new location. 

Prepare the new planting hole in an appropriate location for the transplant. Clear the area of weeds and vegetation. Make the new hole as deep as the root ball and three times as wide. A few months after root pruning, return to the tree and mark the north facing side of the trunk with a string or tape. Then enlarge the cut you made into a trench that goes around and under the root ball. 

Carefully lift the root ball from the ground onto a strong tarp. Transport the tree to the new location and place the root ball into the prepared planting hole, taking care to position the tree so that the north side still faces north. Fill in soil around the tree, press it down gently, and water it well.

Red Maple Tree Transplant

You’ll want to take good care of the maple tree once moved to avoid transplant stress. This involves providing it with ample water on a regular basis. Deep water at least twice a month when absent rainfall.

Do not fertilize the tree for the first several years after transplant. It will need to reconstruct its root system rather than grow foliage. Be sure to keep the area around the tree weed free to reduce competition for water and nutrients.

What is a paperbark maple? Paperbark maple trees are among the most stunning trees on the planet. This iconic species is native to China and much admired for its clean, fine textured foliage and gorgeous exfoliating bark. Although growing a paperbark maple has been a difficult and expensive proposition in the past, more trees are becoming available these days at a lower cost. For more paperbark maple facts, including tips on planting, read on.

What Is a Paperbark Maple?

Paperbark maple trees are small trees that grow to 35 feet (11 m.) over some 20 years. The beautiful bark is a deep shade of cinnamon and it peels off in thin, papery sheets. In some places it is polished, smooth, and shiny.

In summer the leaves are a soft shade of blue green on the upper side, and a frosty white on the underside. They grow in threes and can get to five inches (12 cm.) long. The trees are deciduous and those growing paperbark maples say the fall display is lovely. The foliage turns a vivid red or green with marked red overtones.

Paperbark Maple Facts

Paperbark maple trees were first introduced to the United States in 1907 when the Arnold Arboretum brought two specimens from China. These were the source of all the specimens in the country for some decades, but more specimens were located and introduced in the 1990’s. 

Paperbark maple facts explain why propagation has proved so difficult. These trees frequently produce empty samaras with no viable seeds. The percentage of samaras with viable averages about five percent. 

Growing Paperbark Maple

If you are thinking of planting a paperbark maple, you’ll need to know some of the tree’s cultural requirements. The trees thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8, so those living in warm regions aren’t likely to succeed with these maples. Before you start planting the tree, you’ll need to find a good site. The trees are happy in full sun or partial shade and prefer moist, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH. 

When you first start growing paperbark maples be sure to keep the tree’s roots moist for the first three growing seasons. After that the trees only need irrigation, a deep soak, during hot, dry weather. Generally, mature trees do fine with only natural precipitation.

If you encounter a situation where foraging for food is needed, it is helpful to know what you can eat. There may be a few options that you don’t know about. You may remember the helicopters you played with as a child, those that fell off the maple tree. They’re more than something to play with, as they contain a pod with edible seeds inside.

Are Maple Seeds Edible?

The helicopters, also called whirligigs but technically known as samaras, are the outer covering that must be removed when eating seeds from maple trees. The seed pods under the covering are edible.

After peeling the outer covering of the samara, you’ll find a pod containing the seeds. When they’re young and green, in spring, they’re said to be most tasty. Some info calls them a spring delicacy, as they normally fall early in that season. At this time, you can toss them raw into a salad or stir-fry with other young vegetables and sprouts.

You may also remove them from the pod to roast or boil. Some suggest mixing them into mashed potatoes.

How to Harvest Seeds from Maples

If you find you like maple tree seeds to eat, you need to harvest them before squirrels and other wildlife get to them, as they love them too. Seeds are usually blown by wind when they’re ready to leave the tree. The trees release the samaras when they’re ripe.

You need to recognize them, because the helicopters do fly away from the tree in brisk winds. Info says they can fly as far as 330 feet (100 m.) from the tree.

Various maples produce the samaras at different times in some areas, so the harvest may last for an extended period. Gather the maple seeds to store, if you like. You may continue eating seeds from maple trees through summer and fall, if you find them. The taste becomes a little bitter as they mature, so roasting or boiling is better for the later seeds.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for educational and gardening purposes only. Before using or ingesting ANY herb or plant for medicinal purposes or otherwise, please consult a physician, medical herbalist, or other suitable professional for advice.

For an ornamental, fast-growing tree with great fall color, it’s hard to beat the ‘October Glory’ cultivar of red maple. Although it does best in temperate climates, it can grow in the warm south with extra water and will provide spring flowers, spectacular fall color, and quick growth.

October Glory Tree Info

There are several cultivars of red maple, Acer rubrum, and ‘October Glory’ is a popular one for its spectacular display of fall color. October Glory red maples are also popular because they grow vigorously and easily. If you need a tree that will grow fairly quickly and fill out some space with great color in the fall, this is a good choice.

October Glory grows to a height of 40 to 50 feet (12-15 m.). It grows best in zones 5 through 9. In areas to the south of its range, the trees grow shorter and need regular irrigation or a wet soil. In the spring, this red maple will produce pretty red flowers and will attract birds and squirrels with its seeds in the summer. In the fall, expect to see showy shades of yellow, orange, and red.

How to Grow October Glory

October Glory red maple care is similar to care for any maple. The first consideration is to find the best spot for growing an October Glory tree. These trees prefer part shade but will grow in full sun.

They tolerate a range of soil types, and they do best with adequate water. A location that dries out quickly is not best for this maple tree. They will not tolerate salt or drought very well. The roots may disrupt driveways and sidewalks as they grow.

When planting a new October Glory, water it well and regularly until it has established its roots, typically for one season. After that care is mostly hands off, but watch out for diseases and pests, like aphids, scales, and borers.

The diseases this maple may be susceptible to include scorch, tar spot, girdling roots, and leaf spot. Girdling roots can kill your maple and are difficult to treat, so prevent them by removing any circling roots on your young October Glory.

Fast growing, with deeply lobed leaves and fabulous fall color, Autumn Blaze maple trees (Acer x freemanii) are exceptional ornamentals. They combine the best features of their parents, red maples and silver maples. If you want more Autumn Blaze tree information, read on. You’ll also find tips on Autumn Blaze maple tree care.

Autumn Blaze Tree Information

If you think fast-growing trees are bad bets in the backyard, Autumn Blaze maple trees will make you think again. These hybrids shoot up to 50 feet (15 m.) tall and 40 feet (12 m.) wide without succumbing to insect pests or diseases. Anyone growing Autumn Blaze maples will find that the trees combine the finest traits of both parents. That’s one reason for the cultivar’s popularity. Like the red maple, Autumn Blaze has a nicely balanced branching habit and explodes with red/orange color in the autumn. It also shares silver maple’s drought tolerance, lacy leaves and characteristic bark, smooth while the tree is young, but developing ridges as it matures.

How to Grow Autumn Blaze

If you are ready to start growing Autumn Blaze maples, remember that the trees thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. If you live in these zones, there’s no reason to hesitate. Plant these maples in the fall or spring in a site with full sun. Autumn Blaze maple tree care is easiest if the trees are planted in well-drained, moist, fertile soil. However, like silver maple, Autumn Blaze tolerates poor soil as well. Whichever soil you select, dig a hole three to five times as wide as the root ball but the same depth. Position the root ball of the tree so that the top is even with the soil line.

Autumn Blaze Maple Tree Care

Once you plant your maple, flood it with water to settle the roots. After that, provide water during the first growing season. When it is established, Autumn Blaze maple trees are drought tolerant. Autumn Blaze maple tree care is not difficult. The tree is virtually seedless, so you won’t have to clean up debris. One thing to consider is offering the tree winter protection when chilly winter arrives.

The Amur maple is a large shrub or small tree prized for its compact size, rapid growth, and showy, bright red color in the fall. Keep reading to learn more about how to grow an Amur maple tree in the landscape of your home.

Amur Maple Facts

Amur maple trees (Acer ginnala) are native to northern Asia. They are considered to be both large shrubs and small trees, usually topping out at 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 m.) in height. They have a natural shape of many stems grown in a clumping manner (resulting in a much more shrub-like appearance), but they can be pruned at a young age to have a single or multi-trunk tree appearance. To achieve this, prune away all but a single strong leader (or for multi-trunk, a few select branching stems) when the tree is very young.

Amur maple trees have dark green summer foliage that turns bright shades of orange, red, and burgundy in the autumn. The trees also produce samaras (in the classic pinwheel maple seed pod shape) that turn bright red in the fall.

How to Grow an Amur Maple

Amur maple care is very easy. These maple trees are hardy from USDA zones 3a to 8b, covering most of the continental U.S. They can grow well in full sun to partial shade, a wide range of soils, and moderate drought. They can even handle aggressive pruning.

Unfortunately, Amur maples are considered invasive in many places, especially the northern U.S. The trees produce a huge number of seeds, which can be spread over long distances by the wind. These escaped offspring are known to push out native understory species in forests.

Before planting Amur maple trees, check with your local extension office to see if they are invasive in your area.

Tatarian maple trees grow so fast that they quickly attain their full height, which isn’t very tall. They are short trees with wide, rounded canopies, and excellent fall-color trees for small backyards. For more Tatarian maple facts and tips on how to grow Tatarian maple, read on.

Tatarian Maple Facts

Tatarian maple trees (Acer tataricum) are small trees or large shrubs native to native to western Asia. They may grow 20 feet (6 meters) tall but often spread to 25 feet (7.5 meters) or wider. Despite this short height, they shoot up fast, sometimes 2 feet (0.5 meters) per year. These trees are considered ornamentals. They produce panicles of greenish-white flowers in springtime. The fruit is also eye-catching: long, red samaras that hang on the tree for a month or so before falling. Tatarian maple trees are deciduous trees, losing their leaves in winter. During the growing season, their leaves are green, but according to Tatarian maple facts, they turn yellow and red in fall. This makes growing a Tatarian maple a great tree to get fall color in a small landscape. They are also a great investment since the trees can live 150 years.

How to Grow Tatarian Maple

If you are wondering how to grow Tatarian maple, you need to live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. That is where the trees thrive. When you start growing a Tatarian maple, you don’t have to be picky about soil. Almost any well-draining soil will do. You can plant them in moist or dry soil, clay, loam, or sand. They can grow happily in a wide range of acidic soils, from highly acidic to neutral. You’ll do best to site Tatarian maple trees in a location that gets full sun. They will also grow in partial shade, but not quite as well as in the direct sun.

Tatarian Maple Care

Tatarian maple care is not difficult if you site the tree appropriately. Like every other tree, this maple requires irrigation for the period after transplant but, after establishment, is quite drought-tolerant. The root system is somewhat shallow and might benefit from a layer of mulch. These trees grow and transplant easily, even without heaping too much Tatarian maple care on them. In fact, they are considered invasive in some areas, so be sure yours do not escape cultivation – and you may want to check with your local extension office to ensure it’s ok to row them in your area.

Shantung maple trees (Acer truncatum) look like their cousins, Japanese maple. You can identify them by the smooth edges of the leaves. If you want to know how to grow a Shantung maple, read on. You’ll also find Shantung maple facts that might make you decide to give these little trees a place in your garden.

Shantung Maple Facts

Almost any garden is big enough for one or two Shantung maple trees. The slender trees generally don’t get taller than 25 feet (8 m.) in the sun, or even less in the shade. Those growing Shantung maples appreciate their interesting trunks and the bright yellow flowers the tree produces every spring. New leaves grow in a bronze-purple shade but mature to a lively green. These small trees are among the first to show fall color. The show is spectacular. The green leaves turn a gorgeous, golden yellow flecked with red. Then they deepen to bright orange and finally turn into a gorgeous blazing red. Shantung maple trees work well as small shade trees and can live a long time. According to Shantung maple facts, some live up to over a century. This pleases wild birds that are attracted by them too.

How to Grow a Shantung Maple

The trees thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. They are not picky about exposure, so you can start growing Shantung maples in full sun or full shade. They also thrive in a seaside planting in mild climates. Shantung maple trees accept many different types of soil. You can plant them in moist or dry soil that is clay, loam, or even sand. They like acidic soil but tolerate soil that is slightly alkaline. Shantung maple care is not difficult or time-consuming. You’ll need to irrigate the trees generously the first season after transplant. Care also includes watering during dry spells, even after the tree roots establish. Feeding the trees is also a part of Shantung maple care. Fertilize them in late February with a complete and slow-release fertilizer. The trees can attract aphids, so keep your eye out for these small, sap-sucking bugs. Often, you can wash them from leaves and stems with the hose or spray them with soapy water. The trees can be susceptible to root rot and verticillium as well, but they are resistant to leaf scorch.

The sugar maple (Acer saccharum) captures the imagination with its sweet sap harvested with a little spigot and its inspiring autumn display. It is one of America's most beloved trees, named state tree of no less than four states. And the history of maples is as intriguing as the tree itself, spanning several centuries. Read on for interesting tidbits from maple tree history.

History of Maples

The history of maples began centuries ago. Maple trees existed in North America for hundreds of years and the sugary sap was harvested by Native Americans. However, modern maple tree history began in 1663. That's when chemist Robert Boyle described the "new world" tree to Europeans.

Settler John Smith was one of the first to describe the sugar-making process used by Native Americans. He noted other interesting maple tree uses, like the fact Native Americans brewed cough medicine from the tree's inner bark. Other maple tree uses over the years included producing soap from maple ashes. Settlers also used the bark as a dye.

Over time, some people were known to consume the sap as a spring tonic, while others ingested it to treat liver and kidney problems. Harvesting sweet sap has played a large role in the history of maple trees. And sugar maple is still grown for sugar production. You'll find acres of it in the eastern United States and Canada servicing this purpose.

But other important maple tree uses include roles in lumber production. Sugar maple wood is exceptionally dense and hard. That's why it is used to make furniture and cabinets. These trees are also used in landscapes, but sugar maples aren't appropriate for small gardens. The tree can shoot up to 75 feet tall (26 m.) and one of maple tree uses is as a shade tree, with its spreading canopy capable of blocking sunlight.

Sugar maples also are ornamentals, adding immensely to the beauty of a large backyard. The distinctive leaves usually have five lobes and grow larger than a man's hand. In fall, they blaze in fiery colors before they fall. The tree produces winged seeds that are interesting and attractive. They come to maturity in September or October.

What is a Freeman maple? It’s a hybrid blend of two other maple species that offers the best qualities of both. If you are considering growing Freeman maple trees, read on for tips on how to grow a Freeman maple and other Freeman maple information.

Freeman Maple Information

So, what is a Freeman maple? Freeman maple (Acer x freemanii) is a large shade tree that resulted from a cross between red and silver maple trees (A. rubrum x A. saccharinum). The hybrid has inherited the top qualities from each of these species. According to Freeman maple information, the tree gets its attractive form and blazing fall color from its red maple parent. Its rapid growth and broad soil tolerance are attributable to the silver maple. Growing Freeman maple trees is not difficult if you live in a region with a cool or cold winter. The tree thrives in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 7. Before you decide to start growing Freeman maple trees, you need to know that this hybrid can rise to a height of between 45 and 70 feet (14-21 m.). It does not require extensive Freeman maple care, although you’ll need to know a few important factors.

How to Grow a Freeman Maple

It’s best to start growing Freeman maple trees in full sun locations to get the best fall foliage displays. On the other hand, the soil type is less important. For optimal Freeman maple care, give the tree rich, well-draining soil, but it tolerates both dry and wet locations. Where to plant Freeman maples in your landscape? They make good specimen trees. They also work well as street trees. Remember that the species, in general, has thin and easily damaged bark. That means that the tree bark can suffer from frost as well as sunscald. Good Freeman maple care includes using tree guards to protect young transplants during the first few winters. Another potential issue in Freeman maple care is their shallow root systems. Roots can rise to the surface of the soil as these maples mature. This means that transplanting a mature tree may be dangerous to its health. When you are considering growing Freeman maple trees, you’ll need to pick a cultivar. Many are available and offer different forms and features. The cultivar ‘Armstrong’ is a good one to consider if you want an upright tree. Another upright cultivar is ‘Scarlet Sunset.' Both ‘Autumn Blaze’ and ‘Celebration’ are more compact. The former offers crimson fall color, while the latter’s leaves turn golden yellow.

You’ve heard of silver maples and Japanese maples, but what is a Korean maple? It’s a small maple tree that makes a wonderful substitute for Japanese maple in colder regions. For more Korean maple information and tips on how to grow a Korean maple, read on.

What is a Korean Maple?

Korean maple trees (Acer pseudosieboldianum) look quite a bit like the popular Japanese maples, but they are hardier. The trees thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. The tree is native to China and Korea, where it grows in forested areas. This small, specialty maple matures to about 25 feet tall (8 m.) and wide.

Korean Maple Information

The Korean maple is a delicate tree with some exceptional features. In spring when new leaves open, they are soft and downy. Each has some 10 lobes and is about as wide as your hand. The blossoms appear in spring as well, hanging in surprising purple clusters. They develop into the tree’s fruits, winged samaras, in summer. A big attraction of the tree is its spectacular fall color. The dark green leaves flame into shades of orange, purple, yellow, red, and crimson as the weather gets chilly in autumn.

How to Grow a Korean Maple

If you want to grow a Korean maple, find a site with moist, organically rich soil and excellent drainage. Korean maple trees will not be happy with wet feet. You can plant these beauties in a full sun area or a spot with sun-dappled shade. Don’t pick a site that is hot and dry.

Caring for Korean Maples

Once you have your tree started, caring for Korean maples includes watering. These are quite thirsty trees and require regular irrigation. Provide Korean maple trees with water every week throughout the growing season but offer extra water during dry periods. You’ll also need to protect these trees from strong winds. Protection is also required in the coldest zones. You won’t have to worry much about insect or disease problems. While the trees are susceptible to stem canker, leaf spots, and anthracnose, they do not have any serious pest or disease issues.

Jack Frost maple trees are hybrids developed by Oregon’s Iseli Nursery. They are also known as Northwind maples. The trees are small ornamentals that are more cold-hardy than regular Japanese maples. For more Northwind maple information, including tips for growing Northwind maples, read on.

Northwind Maple Information

Jack Frost maple trees are crosses between Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) and Korean maples (Acer pseudosieboldianum). They have the beauty of the Japanese maple parent, but the Korean maple’s cold tolerance. They were developed to be extremely cold-hardy. These Jack Frost maple trees thrive in USDA zone 4 in temperatures down to -30 degrees F. (-34 C.).

The official cultivar name for Jack Frost maple trees is NORTH WIND® maple. The scientific name is Acer x pseudosieboldianum. These trees can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

The Northwind Japanese maple is a small tree that usually doesn’t get taller than 20 feet (6 m.). Unlike its Japanese maple parent, this maple can survive into zone 4a without any signs of dieback.

Northwind Japanese maples are truly lovely little deciduous trees. They add color charm to any garden, no matter how small. The maple leaves appear in spring a brilliant orange-red. They mature into light green, then blaze into crimson in the autumn.

Growing Northwind Maples

These maple trees have low canopies, with the lowest branches only a few feet (1 m.) above the soil. They grow moderately fast.

If you live in a chilly area, you may be thinking of growing Northwind Japanese maple trees. According to Northwind maple information, these cultivars make an excellent substitute for less hardy Japanese maples in zone 4.

Can you start growing Northwind maples in warmer regions? You can try, but success is not guaranteed. There is not a lot of information about how heat tolerant these shrubs are.

This tree prefers a site offering full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions but will not tolerate standing water.

Northwind Japanese maples are otherwise not picky. You can grow them in soil of almost any pH range as long as the soil is moist and well-drained and is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution.

Striped maple trees (Acer pensylvanicum) are also known as “snakebark maple.” Don’t let this scare you away though. This lovely little tree is an American native. Other species of snakebark maple exist, but Acer pensylvanicum is the only one native to the continent. For more striped maple tree information and tips for striped maple tree cultivation, read on.

Striped Maple Tree Information

Not all maples are soaring, graceful trees with snow white bark. According to striped maple tree information, this tree is a shrubby, understory maple. It can be grown as a large shrub or a small tree. You’ll find this maple in the wild from Wisconsin to Quebec, from the Appalachians into Georgia. It is native to the rocky forests in this range. These trees usually grow from 15 to 25 feet (5-8 m.) tall, although some specimens get to 40 feet (12 m.) tall. The canopy is rounded and sometimes the very top is flattened. The tree is much loved because of its unusual and interesting trunk. Striped maple tree bark is green with vertical white striping. The stripes sometimes fade as the tree matures, and the striped maple tree bark turns reddish brown. Additional facts about striped maple trees include their leaves which can grow quite long, up to 7 inches (18 cm.). Each one has three lobes and looks a little like a goose foot. The leaves grow in pale green with pink overtones but turn a deep green by summer’s end. Expect another color change in autumn when the foliage turns canary yellow. In May, you’ll see drooping racemes of tiny yellow flowers. These are followed by winged seed pods as summer passes. You can use the seeds for striped maple tree cultivation.

Striped Maple Tree Cultivation

If you are thinking of planting striped maple trees, they grow best in shaded areas or woodland gardens. As is typical with understory trees, striped maple trees prefer a shady location and cannot grow in full sun. Striped maple tree cultivation is easiest in well-drained soil. The soil need not be rich, but the trees thrive in moist soils that are slightly acidic. One good reason for planting striped maple trees is to benefit local wildlife. This tree serves an important role as a browse plant for wildlife. Planting striped maple trees results in food for various animals, including red squirrels, porcupines, white-tailed deer, and ruffed grouse.

What is a boxelder tree? Boxelder (Acer negundo) is a fast-growing maple tree native to this country (U.S.). Although drought resistant, boxelder maple trees do not have a lot of ornamental appeal to homeowners. Read on for additional boxelder tree information.

Boxelder Tree Information

What is a boxelder tree? It’s an easy-to-grow, very adaptable maple. The wood of boxelder maple trees is soft and has no commercial value. Boxelder maple tree facts tell us that this maple usually grows on river banks or near water in the wild. These trees help to shelter wildlife and stabilize stream banks. However, in urban areas, they are considered a type of weed. Some boxelder maple trees are male and some are female. The females bear blossoms that turn bright green when they are pollinated. They can add color to your spring garden. However, most experts do not recommend that gardeners begin boxelder maple tree growing, nor are they very popular garden plants. Boxelder maple tree facts tell us that these trees have brittle, weak wood. That means that the trees break easily in wind and ice storms. In addition, boxelder maple tree information confirms that the tree seeds, found in winged samaras, germinate very easily. This can make them a nuisance in a private garden. Finally, female trees attract boxelder bugs. These are insects some ½ inch (1 cm.) long that don’t cause many problems in the garden. However, boxelder bugs are problematic as winter comes on. They like to overwinter indoors, and you’ll likely find them inside your house.

Boxelder Maple Tree Growing

If you decide to plant one of these trees, you’ll need to get information about boxelder maple tree growing. Given the tree’s tolerance and adaptability, boxelder maple trees are not difficult to grow in the proper climate. These trees can grow in almost any mild, cool, or cold region in the United States. In fact, they thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 9. Plant your boxelder near a stream or river, if possible. They tolerate most soils, including sand and clay, growing happily in dry or wet soil. However, they are sensitive to salt spray.

Norway maple trees (Acer platinoides) are wonderful shade trees in the garden. However, they produce many seeds and propagate so easily that they readily escape cultivation. In the wild, Norway maple shades out native plants. Controlling Norway maples is much more difficult than growing them. For information about Norway maple control, read on.

Norway Maple Weed Trees

Norway maples are tall, attractive trees that taller than 65 feet (20 m.). They have dense, rounded canopies that offer deep shade beneath. The trunk of the Norway maple is mottled gray and smooth. The color and texture of the bark contrasts with the dark green, deeply lobed leaves that grow to 6 inches (15 cm.) long and 5 inches (13 cm.) wide. Both the leaves and the twigs “bleed” a milky sap when cut or broken. The trees produce upright clusters of yellowish green flowers that bloom in May. The flowers give way to winged fruit called samaras. These samaras are packed with seeds, and the wind blows them far and wide, allowing the seeds to spread. They germinate promptly, even in full shade. This makes controlling Norway maple difficult. These maples are called “Norway maple weed trees” because they spread so rapidly. Given the vast numbers of seeds produced by the tree and the ease with which they grow, Norway maple weed trees in your backyard spread quickly to nearby forests and fields. Though not native to this country, Norway maple trees are currently found in half the states, and they are considered invasive in most of them.

How to Manage a Norway Maple

Experts addressing the question of how to manage a Norway maple recommend against planting the tree in new developments. Controlling Norway maple populations is a real challenge. If the only new trees are seedlings and saplings, Norway maple control can be affected by weeding these out by hand. A weed wrench pulls Norway maples out of the ground with most of their roots intact. If you want to know how to manage a Norway maple sapling, use pruning loppers to fell the young tree. Then apply an herbicide to the exposed stump. In an area where the trees have already spread into the wild, one method of Norway maple control is pruning out seed-bearing branches each year. This is a good solution for an area under long-term resource management. Pruning stops the tree’s spread without leaving immediate holes in the forest structure. Removing trees is another option. It’s a better option where the natural resource management is short term rather than long term. Girdling big trees by cutting deeply into the bark around the trunk will effectively kill them. Once the trees are removed, it is critical to act quickly to transplant native trees into the spaces the Norway maples used to occupy. Perhaps the best way to do Norway maple control is opting to plant a different type of tree. Native trees like red maple and sweetgum are good alternatives.

If you are seeking a beautiful medium to large sized maple tree, look no further than the Norway maple. This lovely plant is native to Europe and western Asia and has become naturalized in some areas of North America. In some regions, growing a Norway maple tree can be a problem where it self-seeds and displaces other native vegetation. With good care and careful management, however, this tree can be a good shade or standalone specimen. Learn how to grow Norway maple trees and enjoy their ornamental classic look and ease of care.

Norway Maple Tree Info

Maple trees are classics of the landscape genre. Norway maple (Acer platanoides) has made its own place in the culture and is a common shade tree that resembles sugar maples. The plant has several seasons of interest and retains a compact crown and dense growth. Norway maple has a high tolerance to pollution and is adaptable to many soils including clay, sand, or acidic conditions. This elegant tree is a useful addition to the landscape, provided some care is taken to minimize seedlings, which are rampant the following season. The Norway maple was introduced by John Bartram to Philadelphia in 1756. It quickly became a popular shade tree due to its adaptability and attractive form. However, in some areas of the United States, it has begun to replace native populations of maples and may be invasive from the northeastern U.S. south to Tennessee and Virginia. It is also a plant of concern in the Pacific Northwest. Trees can grow up to 90 feet (27 m.) in height and have nicely rounded, compact crowns. Young trees have smooth bark, which becomes black and furrowed with age. The fall color is bright gold but one of the types of Norway maple trees, Crimson King, develops deep reddish fall tones. One important piece of information about Norway maple trees regards its root system. Roots can become a hazard due to the huge number of surface roots the plant produces.

How to Grow Norway Maple Trees

Acer platanoides is hardy to USDA zones 4 to 7. This remarkably adaptable tree performs well in either full sun or partial shade. While it prefers well-drained, moist soil, it is drought tolerant for short periods of time, although some leaf drop may occur. Growing a Norway maple tree may require some training when the tree is young to help it develop a good strong central leader and stout scaffold. Plants transplant easily with little effect on the root system or foliage. Norway maple has good resistance to storm and ice damage and has a vigorous growth rate. These trees, if carefully managed, can quickly become attractive focal points of the shade garden.

Norway Maple Tree Care

One of the highlights of Norway maple tree care is managing the samaras, or seed fruits. These winged fruits can catch the wind and navigate far away from the parent tree. They germinate readily and can become an issue in rural settings or near native woods. Pruning at the end of the season, just before the samaras turn brown, can prevent wild seedlings from becoming a pest. Other management is limited to supplemental watering in hot summers, once a year fertilizing with well-balanced food in early spring, and removing any damaged or diseased wood. These trees have few of the classic maple issues and are quite fine if left alone most of the time. While this adds to their popularity, caution should be observed in some regions where the plant is considered invasive.

Common in older landscapes because of their quick growth, even the slightest breeze can make the silver undersides of silver maple trees look like the whole tree is shimmering. Because of its wide use as a fast-growing tree, most of us have a silver maple or a few on our urban blocks. In addition to their use as fast-growing shade trees, silver maples were also widely planted in reforestation projects. Continue reading to learn more silver maple tree information.

Silver Maple Tree Information

Silver maples (Acer saccharinum) prefer to grow in moist, slightly acidic soil. They are moderately drought tolerant, but are more recognized for their ability to survive in standing water for long periods of time. Because of this water tolerance, silver maples were often planted along river banks or edges of other waterways for erosion control. They can tolerate high water levels in spring and receding water levels in midsummer. In natural areas, their early spring blooms are important to bees and other pollinators. Their prolific seeds are eaten by grosbeaks, finches, wild turkeys, ducks, squirrels, and chipmunks. Its leaves provide food for deer, rabbits, cecropia moth caterpillars, and white tussock moth caterpillars. Growing silver maple trees are prone to forming deep holes or cavities that provide homes for raccoons, opossums, squirrels, bats, owls, and other birds. Near waterways, beavers often eat silver maple bark and use their limbs for building beaver dams and lodges.

How to Grow Silver Maple Trees

Hardy in zones 3-9, silver maple tree growth is about 2 feet (0.5 m.) or more per year. Their vase-shaped growth habit can top out at anywhere from 50 to 80 feet (15 to 24.5 m.) tall depending on location and can be 35 to 50 feet (10.5 to 15 m.) wide. While they were once widely used as quick growing street trees or shade trees for landscapes, silver maples are not so popular in recent years because their brittle limbs are prone to breakage from strong winds or heavy snow or ice. Silver maple’s large vigorous roots can also damage sidewalks and driveways, as well as sewer and drain pipes. The soft wood that is prone to forming holes or cavities can also be prone to fungus or grubs. Another drawback to silver maples is that their prolific, winged seed pairs are highly viable and seedlings will quickly sprout up in any open soil without any special requirements, like stratification. This can make them a pest to agriculture fields and quite annoying to home gardeners. On the positive side, this makes silver maples very easy to propagate by seed. In recent years, red maples and silver maples have been bred together to create the hybrid Acer freemanii. These hybrids are fast growing like silver maples but more durable against strong winds and heavy snow or ice. They also have prettier fall colors, usually in reds and oranges, unlike the yellow fall color of silver maples. If planting a silver maple tree is a project you’d like to undertake but without the downsides, then opt for one of these hybrid types instead. Varieties in the Acer freemanii include:

• Autumn Blaze
• Marmo
• Armstrong
• Celebration
• Matador
• Morgan
• Scarlet Sentinel
• Firefall

Maple trees can decline for a variety of reasons. Most maple are susceptible, but urban trees need special care to prevent stress factors that cause decline. Read on for information about maple tree decline treatment.

Maple Decline Information

Adverse conditions can cause a maple tree so much stress that it no longer thrives. City maples become the victims of air and water pollution, road salts, and construction and landscaping injuries. In the country, trees can be completely defoliated by insects, and putting on a new flush of leaves uses up valuable energy resources. Without energy reserves, trees become vulnerable to decline. A maple tree depletes its energy reserves when it has to fight off environmental stress, and physical injuries leave trees open to secondary infections. Other causes of maple decline include root breakage and soil compaction from heavy equipment, nutritional imbalance, prolonged drought and vandalism. Almost anything that causes a tree to expend energy to recover can weaken the tree, and if it happens repeatedly the tree goes into decline.

Maple Decline Treatment

If you suspect maple tree dying, here is a list of symptoms of maple tree decline:

• Failure to put on adequate new growth can indicate a problem. Twigs should add about two inches (5 cm.) to their length every year.
• Maples that are declining may have paler, smaller and few leaves than in previous years.
• Maple dieback includes symptoms such as dead twigs or branch tips and dead areas in the canopy.
• Leaves that change to fall colors before the end of summer are a sure indication of decline.

Early intervention can prevent a declining maple tree from dying. Try to identify the cause of the problem and correct it. If your tree is being sprayed with road salts, raise the height of the curb or construct a berm. Divert runoff from roadways away from the tree. Water the tree every week or two in the absence of rain. Make sure the water penetrates to a depth of 12 inches (30 cm.). Fertilize annually until the tree shows signs of recovery. Use a slow-release fertilizer, or even better, a two-inch (5 cm.) layer of compost. Quick release fertilizers add an excess of chemical salts to the soil. Prune the tree to remove dead twigs, growth tips and branches. When you remove only part of a branch, cut back to just below a side branch or twig. The side branch will take over as the growth tip. Although it’s alright to remove dead branches any time of year, keep in mind that pruning encourages new growth. When you prune in late summer, the new growth may not have time to harden before cold weather sets in.

If you are thinking of planting sugar maple trees, you probably already know that sugar maples are among the best-loved trees on the continent. Four states have picked this tree as their state tree – New York, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Vermont – and it is also the national tree of Canada. While grown commercially for its sweet syrup and value as lumber, sugar maple also makes an attractive addition to your backyard. Read on for more sugar maple tree facts and to learn how to grow a sugar maple tree.

Sugar Maple Tree Facts

Sugar maple tree facts provide lots of interesting information about this remarkable tree. Well before colonists began sugar maple tree growing in this country, Native Americans tapped the trees for their sweet syrup and used the sugar made from it for bartering. But sugar maples are lovely trees in and of themselves. The dense crown grows in an oval shape and offers ample shade in the summer. The leaves are dark green with five distinct lobes. The small, green flowers grow in groups hanging downward on slender stems. They flower in April and May, producing the “helicopter” winged seeds that mature in autumn. About that same time, the tree puts on a fantastic fall show, its leaves turning to bright shades of orange and red.

How to Grow a Sugar Maple Tree

If you are planting sugar maple trees, select a site in full sun for the best results. The tree will also grow in partial sun, with at least four hours of direct, unfiltered sun every day. A sugar maple tree growing in deep, well-drained soil is the happiest. The soil should be acidic to slightly alkaline. Once you have finished planting sugar maple trees, they will grow at a slow to medium rate. Expect your trees to grow from one foot to two feet (30.5-61 cm.) each year.

Caring for Sugar Maple Trees

When you are caring for sugar maple trees, irrigate them during dry weather. Although they are fairly drought tolerant, they do best with soil that is constantly moist but never wet. A sugar maple tree growing in too small a space will only create heartache. Be sure you have sufficient room to grow one of these beauties before planting sugar maple trees – they grow to 74 feet (22.5 m.) tall and 50 feet (15 m.) wide.

The tree in the backyard that blazes with red, orange, and yellow foliage in autumn is most likely a maple. Maple trees are known for their brilliant fall color as well as the ease with which they “bleed” sap. 

The species’ tendency to lose sap from wounds makes gardeners question the wisdom of pruning maple trees. However, maple tree pruning is an essential part of maple tree maintenance. It’s important to learn how to prune maple trees and to pick the best time for pruning maples.

When to Prune a Maple Tree

Many gardeners are confused about when to prune a maple tree. In late winter, when the days are warm and the nights are cold, root pressure causes sap to flow from any wound made in the bark of the tree. This makes it look as if the tree is suffering. 

However, maple tree pruning in winter generally won’t hurt a mature tree. You would have to remove an entire limb for the loss of sap to negatively impact a fully grown tree. If the tree is just a sapling, however, loss of sap may cause problems. You can avoid this issue if you wait until summer to prune maples. 

Once the leaf buds open, the sap is no longer under pressure and won’t leak out from pruning wounds. For this reason, many gardeners say that the best time for pruning maples is in summer after the tree is fully in leaf.

How to Prune Maple Trees

Gardeners trim maple trees for a variety of reasons. Regular maple tree pruning helps keep a tree the desired size and stops a tree from encroaching on its neighbors. 

Pruning also assists the tree develop of a sound branch structure. Carefully removing branches can reduce or eliminate structural issues in a tree. It can also open up the center of the tree to let sun and air move through the canopy. This prevents certain types of diseases. 

When you are pruning maple trees, it is always a good idea to remove broken, diseased, or dead branches. Otherwise, decay-producing fungi can infect healthy parts of the trees.

Many people think of sap as a tree’s blood and the comparison is accurate to a point. Sap is the sugar produced in a tree’s leaves by the process of photosynthesis, mixed with water brought up through the tree’s roots. The sugars in sap provide fuel for the tree to grow and thrive. When the pressure changes inside a tree, usually due to changing temperatures, the sap is forced into the vascular transporting tissues. Any time those tissues are punctured in a maple tree, you may see a maple tree oozing sap. Read on to find out what it means when your maple tree is dripping sap.

Why is My Maple Tree Leaking Sap?

Unless you are a maple sugar farmer, it is disconcerting to see your maple tree oozing sap. The cause of sap leaking from maple trees can be as benign as birds eating the sweet sap to potentially fatal diseases of the maple.

Maple Tree Sap Dripping for Syrup

Those who harvest sap for maple sugar production reply on sap leaking from maple trees for their income. Essentially, maple sugar producers pierce the vascular transporting tissues of a maple tree by drilling a tap hole into those tissues. When the maple tree is dripping sap, it is caught in buckets hung on the tree, then later boiled down for sugar and syrup. Each tap hole can yield from 2 to 20 gallons (6-75 L.) of sap. Although sugar maples yield the sweetest sap, other types of maples are tapped as well, including black, Norway, red, and silver maple.

Other Reasons for Sap Leaking from Maple Trees

Not every maple tree oozing sap has been drilled for syrup. Animals – Sometimes birds peck holes in the tree trunks in order to access the sweet sap. If you see a line of holes drilled in a maple trunk about 3 feet (1 m.) from the ground, you can assume that birds are looking for a meal. Other animals also deliberately take action to get the maple tree sap dripping. Squirrels, for example, might break off branch tips. Pruning – Pruning maple trees in late winter/early spring is another cause of sap leaking from maple trees. As temperature rises, the sap begins to move and oozes out of the breaks in vascular tissue. Experts say that this is not dangerous for the tree. Disease – On the other hand, sometimes it is a bad sign if your maple tree is dripping sap. If the sap comes from a long split in the trunk and kills the tree trunk wherever it touches the bark, your tree may have a potentially lethal disease called bacterial wetwood or slime flux. All you can do is insert a copper tube in the trunk to allow the sap to get to the ground without touching the bark. If your tree is a silver maple, the prognosis could be just as bad. If the tree has cankers oozing sap and the sap leaking from the maple trees is dark brown or black, your tree may have bleeding canker disease. If you catch the disease early, you can save the tree by removing cankers and treating the trunk surface with an appropriate disinfectant.

From the little 8 foot (2.5 m.) Japanese maple to the towering sugar maple that can reach heights of 100 feet (30.5 m.) or more, the Acer family offers a tree just the right size for every situation. Find out about some of the most popular maple tree varieties in this article.

Types of Acer Maple Trees

Maple trees are members of the genus Acer, which includes a lot of variety in size, shape, color, and growth habit. With all of the variations, it's hard to pinpoint a few obvious features that make a tree a maple. To make maple tree identification a little easier, let's begin by dividing them into two main groups: hard and soft maples. One distinction between the two maple tree types is the rate of growth. Hard maples grow very slowly and live a long time. These trees are important to the lumber industry and include black maples and sugar maples, known for their superior quality syrup. All maples have leaves divided into three, five, or seven lobes. The lobes on some maples are mere indentations in the leaves, while others have lobes so deeply divided that a single leaf can look like a cluster of individual, thin leaves. Hard maples usually have leaves with moderate indentations. They are dull green on top and a lighter color underneath. Soft maples include a wide variety of trees, such as red and silver maples. Their rapid growth results in a soft wood. Landscapers use these trees to get quick results, but they may become a problem in the landscape as they age. Quick growth results in brittle branches that break and fall easily, often causing property damage. They are subject to wood rot and landowners have to pay the high cost of tree removal or risk collapse. Another thing that all maples have in common is their fruit, called samaras. They are essentially winged seeds that twirl to the ground when ripe, much to the delight of children who get caught in a shower of “whirlybirds.”

How to Identify Maple Trees

Here are a few distinguishing characteristics of some of the more common types of Acer maple trees: Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

• Highly ornamental trees, Japanese maples may only grow to 6 to 8 feet (2-2.5 m.) in cultivation, but can reach heights of 40 to 50 feet (12-15 m.) in the wild
• Brilliant fall color
• The trees are often wider than they are tall

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

• Heights of 40 to 60 feet (12-18.5 m.) with a width of 25 to 35 feet (7.5-10.5 m.) in cultivation, but may reach over 100 feet (30.5 m.) in the wild
• Bright red, yellow, and orange fall color
• Red flowers and fruit

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)

• These trees grow 50 to 70 feet (15-21.5 m.) tall with canopies that are 35 to 50 feet (10.5-15 m.) wide
• The dark green leaves are silvery underneath and appear to glimmer in the wind
• Their shallow roots buckle sidewalks and foundations, making it nearly impossible to grow grass under the canopy

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

• This large tree grows 50 to 80 feet (15-24.5 m.) tall with a dense canopy that spreads 35 to 50 feet (10.5-15 m.) wide
• Attractive, pale yellow flowers bloom in spring
• Brilliant fall color with many shades on the tree at the same time

Maple trees come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: outstanding fall color. Find out how to grow a maple tree in this article.

How to Grow a Maple Tree

In addition to planting nursery-grown maple trees, there are a couple of ways to go about maple tree growing:

Growing maple trees from cuttings

Growing maple trees from cuttings is an easy way to get free saplings for your garden. Take 4-inch (10 cm.) cuttings from the tips of young trees in midsummer or mid-autumn, and remove the leaves from the lower half of the stem. Scrape the bark on the lower stem with a knife and then roll it in powdered rooting hormone. Stick the lower 2 inches (5 cm.) of the cutting in a pot filled with moist rooting medium. Keep the air around the plant moist by enclosing the pot in a plastic bag or covering it with a milk jug with the bottom cut out. Once they take root, remove the cuttings from their coverings and place them in a sunny location.

Planting maple tree seeds

You can also start a tree from seeds. Maple tree seeds mature in either spring to early summer or late fall, depending on the species. Not all species require special treatment, but it's best to go ahead and treat them with cold stratification to be sure. This treatment tricks them into thinking winter has come and gone, and it's safe to germinate. Plant the seeds about three-quarters of an inch (2 cm.) deep in moist peat moss and place them in a plastic bag inside the refrigerator for 60 to 90 days. Place the pots in a warm location when they come out of the refrigerator, and once they germinate, place them in a sunny window. Keep the soil moist at all times.

Planting and Caring for Maple Trees

Transplant seedlings and cuttings into a pot filled with good quality potting soil when they are a few inches tall. Potting soil provides them with all of the nutrients they will need for the next couple of months. Afterward, feed them with half-strength liquid houseplant fertilizer every week to 10 days. Fall is the best time for planting maple tree seedlings or cuttings outdoors, but you can plant them anytime as long as the ground isn't frozen. Choose a location with full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Dig a hole as deep as the container and 2 to 3 feet (61-91 cm.) wide. Set the plant in the hole, making sure the soil line on the stem is even with the surrounding soil. Burying the stem too deeply encourages rot. Fill the hole with the soil you removed from it without adding fertilizer or any other amendments. Press down with your foot or add water periodically to remove air pockets. Once the hole is full, level the soil and water deeply and thoroughly. Two inches (5 cm.) of mulch will help keep the soil moist. Don't fertilize the tree until the second spring after planting. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer or an inch (2.5 cm.) of composted manure spread evenly over the root zone. As the tree grows, treat it with additional fertilizer only if needed. A maple tree with bright leaves that is growing according to expectations doesn't need fertilizer. Many maples have problems with brittle branches and wood rot if forced to grow too fast.

Your maple trees are absolutely gorgeous yellow, orange, and red fireballs every fall-- and you look forward to it with a great deal of anticipation. When you discover that your tree is suffering from tar spot of maples, you may start to fear that it spells the end to beautiful fall scenery forever. Never fear, maple tree tar spot is a very minor disease of maple trees and you'll have plenty of fiery falls to come.

What is Maple Tar Spot Disease?

Maple tar spot is a very visible problem for maple trees. It starts with small yellow spots on growing leaves, and by late summer these yellow spots expand into large black blotches that look like tar has been dropped on the leaves. This is because a fungal pathogen in the genus Rhytisma has taken hold. When the fungus initially infects a leaf, it causes a small 1/8 inch (1/3 cm.) wide, yellow spot. As the season progresses that spot spreads, eventually growing up to 3/4 inches (2 cm.) wide. The spreading yellow spot also changes colors as it grows, slowly turning from a yellow-green to a deep, tarry black. The tar spots don't emerge right away, but are typically obvious by mid to late summer. By the end of September, those black spots are at full size and may even appear to be rippled or deeply grooved like fingerprints. Don't worry, though, the fungus only attacks the leaves, leaving the rest of your maple tree alone. The black spots are fairly unsightly, but they don't do any harm to your trees and will be shed when the leaves fall. Unfortunately, maple tree tar spot is spread on the wind, which means that your tree can get re-infected next year if spores happen to hitch a ride on the right breeze.

Maple Tar Spot Treatment

Due to the way maple tar spot disease is transmitted, complete control of maple tar spot is virtually impossible on mature trees. Prevention is the key with this disease, but if nearby trees are infected, you can't reasonably expect to totally destroy this fungus without community support. Start by raking all your maple's fallen leaves and burning, bagging, or composting them to eliminate the closest source of tar spot spores. If you leave the fallen leaves on the ground until spring, the spores on them will likely re-infect the new foliage and start the cycle again. Trees that have trouble with tar spots year after year may also be struggling with excessive moisture. You'll do them a great favor if you increase the grade around them to eliminate standing water and prevent moisture build-up. Young trees may require treatment, especially if other trees have had a lot of their leaf surfaces covered by tar spots in the recent past. If you're planting a younger maple in an area prone to maple tar spot, though, applying a fungicide, like triadimefon and mancozeb, at bud break and twice again in 7 to 14 day intervals is recommended. Once your tree is well-established and too tall to easily spray, it should be able to fend for itself.

A red maple tree (Acer rubrum) gets its common name from its brilliant red foliage that becomes the focal point of the landscape in autumn, but red colors play a large part in the tree's ornamental display in other seasons as well. Red flower buds form in winter, opening into showy red flowers before the tree leafs out. New twigs and leaf stems are also red, and after the flowers fade, reddish-colored fruit takes their place. Read on to find out how to grow a red maple tree.

Growing Red Maple

Red maple trees vary in size depending on the location and the cultivar. They grow 40 to 70 feet (12-21 m.) tall with a spread of 30 to 50 feet (9-15 m.). Red maples tend to be shorter in the southernmost part of their growing range, which is USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. For small urban lots, consider growing smaller cultivars, such as ‘Schlesingeri,' which rarely exceeds 25 feet (8 m.) in height.

Before you plant, you should know that there are a couple of problems associated with growing red maple trees. They have thick, strong roots that grow near or above the surface of the soil. Although they aren't as destructive and invasive as those of silver maple trees, they can raise sidewalks and make lawn maintenance a difficult chore. Exposed roots are easily injured if you run over them with a lawn mower. In addition, the thin bark can sustain damage from string trimmers and flying debris from lawn mowers. These injuries provide entry points for diseases and insects.

Buying a red maple sapling isn't as straightforward as it may seem. First of all, not all red maples have red fall foliage. Some turn brilliant yellow or orange, and although they are striking, they are a disappointment if you were expecting red.

One way to make sure you get the color you want is to buy in fall from a local nursery. Fall is an excellent time to plant, and you can see the color of the foliage before you buy.

You should also make sure you purchase a tree grown on its own roots rather than a grafted tree. Grafting creates weak points in red maples and makes them more susceptible to breaking.

Red Maple Tree Care and Planting

• Soil The soil for this tree should be acid to neutral. Alkaline soil leads to pale, sickly leaves and poor growth.
• Water Choose a wet site located in full sun or partial shade. If the site isn't naturally moist or wet, the tree will need frequent irrigation throughout its life. Water red maples before the soil has a chance to dry. Slow, deep watering is better than frequent light applications because it encourages deeper roots.
• Mulch A 2- to 3-inch (5-8 cm.) layer of organic mulch helps the soil hold moisture longer.
• Fertilizer Red maples probably don't need fertilization every year. When you do fertilize, apply a general-purpose fertilizer in early spring. The leaves are naturally light green in color, so you can't depend on them to tell you when you need to fertilize.
• Pruning If you buy your red maple tree from a good nursery, you probably won't need to prune it after you plant. If in doubt, remove branches with narrow angles that appear to be trying to grow straight up. Wide angles between t he trunk and the branches add strength to the overall structure of the tree, and they are less likely to break.

Red Maple Tree Varieties

There exist hybrids of these trees with different characteristics as discussed below.

The Red Sunset maple tree grows up to 60 feet tall. It is characterized by green leaves during summer which turn red during fall. The tree is fast growing, reason why it is used as shade in many areas of the world where the climatic conditions allow for its growth. The crown of the mature tree reaches a width of up to 40 feet, providing good shade and also host to other animals like beautifully colored birds. The red sunset maple grows in different conditions such as in very dry conditions of drought as well as in extremely cold conditions too.

Autumn Blaze maple trees grow up to 50 feet tall at maturity with the crown having a width of about 40 feet. These fast growing trees are characterized by green leaves which turn bright orange red in fall. These colors add some natural beauty to the environment where they are found. The leaves of Autumn Blaze maple trees are also known for not easily falling off but staying longer on the branches of the tree thereby providing beautiful colors all year round. These trees are resistant to pollution, insects and pests, reason why they are suitable as shade trees in urban areas. They are not vulnerable to destruction by storms due to the strength of the wood.

Mtn Red maple is a small shrub tree that grows up to about 20 feet tall and the crown just about 15 centimeters wide. It's also shade tolerant and grows very fast. The leaves are characterized by long red stalks which are usually longer than the leaves. The leaves are yellowish-green but turn red, brown or yellow in fall.

There are many kinds of maple tree diseases, but the ones that people are most commonly concerned with affect the trunk and bark of maple trees. This is because bark diseases of maple trees are very visible to a tree's owner and can often bring about dramatic changes to the tree. Below you will find a list of diseases that affect maple trunk and bark.

Maple Tree Bark Diseases and Damage

Canker Fungus Maple Tree Bark Disease

Several different kinds of fungi will cause cankers on a maple tree. These fungus are the most common maple bark diseases. They all have the same thing in common, which is that they will create lesions (also called cankers) in the bark but these lesions will look different depending on the canker fungus that is affecting the maple bark. Nectria cinnabarina canker - This maple tree disease can be identified by its pink and black cankers on the bark and typically affects parts of the trunk that were weak or dead. These cankers can become slimy after rain or dew. Occasionally, this fungus will also appear as red balls on the bark of the maple tree. Nectria galligena canker - This maple bark disease will attack the tree while it is dormant and will kill healthy bark. In the spring, the maple tree will regrow a slightly thicker layer of bark over the fungus infected area and then, the following dormant season, the fungus will once again kill back the bark. Over time, the maple tree will develop a canker that looks like a stack of paper that has been split and peeled back. Eutypella canker - The cankers of this maple tree fungus looks similar to Nectria galligena canker but the layers on the canker will normally be thicker and will not peel away from the tree trunk easily. Also, if the bark is removed from the canker, there will be a layer of visible, light brown mushroom tissue. Valsa canker - This disease of maple trunks will normally affect only young trees or small branches. The cankers of this fungus will look like small shallow depressions on the bark with warts in the center of each and will be white or grey. Steganosporium canker - This maple tree bark disease will create a brittle, black layer over the bark of the tree. It only affects bark that has been damaged by other issues or maple diseases. Cryptosporiopsis canker - The cankers from this fungus will affect young trees and starts out as a small elongated canker that looks as though someone pushed some of the bark into the tree. As the tree grows, the canker will continue to grow. Often, the center of the canker will bleed during the rising of spring sap. Bleeding canker - This maple tree disease causes the bark to appear wet and is often accompanied by some bark coming away from the maple tree trunk, especially lower down on the trunk of the tree. Basal canker - This maple fungus attacks the base of the tree and rots away the bark and wood beneath. This fungus looks very similar to a maple tree root disease called collar rot, but with collar rot, the bark typically does not fall away from the base of the tree.

Galls and Burls

It is not uncommon for maple trees to develop growths called galls or burls on their trunks. These growths often look like large warts on the side of the maple tree and can get to massive sizes. Though often alarming to see, galls and burls will not harm a tree. That being said, these growths do weaken the trunk of the tree and can make the tree more susceptible to falling during wind storms.

Environmental Damage to Maple Bark

While not technically a maple tree disease, there are several weather and environment related bark damages that can happen and may look like the tree has a disease. Sunscald - Sunscald most frequently occurs on young maple trees but can happen on older maple trees that have thin skin. It will appear as a long discolored or even barkless stretches on the trunk of the maple tree and sometimes the bark will be cracked. The damage will be on the southwest side of the tree. Frost cracks - Similar to sunscald, the southern side of the tree cracks, sometimes deep cracks will appear in the trunk. These frost cracks will most commonly happen in late winter or spring. Over mulching - Poor mulching practices can cause the bark around the base of the tree to crack and fall off.