General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers moist, acidic soils with good drainage.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Acer rubrum is a deciduous, Missouri native tree that will typically grow 40-60’ tall with a rounded to oval crown. It grows faster than Norway and sugar maples, but slower than silver maple. In northern states, red maple usually occurs in wet bottomland, river flood plains and wet woods, but in Missouri it typically frequents drier, rocky upland areas. Sap of this tree can be used to make maple syrup that is inferior in quality to syrups made from the sugar maple. ‘Sun Valley’ is a U. S. National Arboretum introduction. It is a male selection that is noted for having a symmetrical ovate crown and exceptional red fall color. It typically grows to 21’ tall over the first 10 years, eventually maturing to as much as 30-35’ tall in ideal growing conditions. It is the result of a cross between A. rubrum ‘Red Sunset’ and A. rubrum ‘Autumn Flame’. Reddish male flowers appear in early spring. No fruit is produced. Medium green leaves (to 4” long). Fall color for this cultivar appears as a brilliant red in late fall.