General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun. 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. ‘Autumn Flame’ is a male selection that is noted for (1) abundant leaves that are smaller in size than those of the species, (2) fall color that develops about two weeks prior to fall color on the species and (3) excellent scarlet fall color. Greenish-yellow flowers appear in early spring (March). No fruit is produced. Leaves (to 3” long) with 3-5 lobes are green above and glaucous green with a blue-gray bloom beneath. Fall color is a brilliant scarlet. U.S. Plant Patent PP02,377 was issued on March 17, 1964.