An old favorite: upright, almost fastigiate, growth habit. Trees have attained over 50’ height with only 15’ crown width. Fall coloration can be a decent yellow-orange-red, but only under ideal conditions (usually experienced in more northern climes). It grows vigorously both in the north and the south, but in the southern tier states, fall coloration is usually less than spectacular. Female clone, hardiness to USDA zone 4 through 7.

This is the latest of the red maple cultivars to color in the fall, retaining its beautiful orange to red foliage often until mid to late November. It reliably turns a brilliant red color wherever red maples can be grown. A popular choice for the southern states. Its ultimate height tops out between 50’ and 60’ with an essentially ovate-rounded habit. Female clone, hardiness to USDA zone 5.

This highly popular Freeman Maple is a proven winner across the continent. It attains a height of approximately 50’ with an oval crown spread of about 40’. Its A.saccharinum parent confers vigor and a better adaptation to droughty sites than cultivars derived from straight A.rubrum. It also stands up well to heavy soils and the potato leafhopper. Regarding climate adaptation, it has performed well in many places even into USDA zone 8. Of course the primasy benefit of this wonderful tree is its consistent, brilliant, and long lasting fall colors of red and orange. It is aptly named. Hardiness to USDA zone 4, possibly 3.

This is our most intriguing red maple variety!  The US National Arboretum release is probably one of the hardiest red maples to cold, coming from a northern Minnesota seed source.  Its combination of reduced size and tight upright habit coupled with heavy red pigmentation (both in new shoot tips as well as in autumn foliage) make it a compelling choice for many landscape situations, especially in smaller gardens or urban settings.  Now, given that it is from such a cool area as northern Minnesota, we always supposed that it would be happiest growing in northern areas and places like Oregon.  Conversely, we previously indicated that it would not be recommendable in hot summer areas like the South.  Over time, it has become apparent that this tree performs very well in the South.  Here in Oregon, which has a summer climate more similar to Minnesota’s than that of Tennessee, it seems to lack vigor and uniformity.  One thing that has not changed, is the high esteem in which we hold this very beautiful red maple variety.

Acer x freemanii ‘DTR 102’ PP7655

This tree is creating quite a stir in the Green Industry! Autumn Fantasy® is a fast growing, full-crowned tree with the ability to withstand adverse growing conditions. The fall color is an annual October feature, persisting until the first hard frost. The impressive annual display becomes outstanding because the heavy leaf population turns an intense ruby-red almost simultaneously. Autumn Fantasy® will attain a height and spread of 45’ by 40’ within 30 years and is adapted from USDA zones 4/5 to 8.

This well-known red maple cultivar was selected for superior vigor and beautiful bright red orange/red fall color. Dirr lists it rightly as one of the best red maple cultivars. The habit is pyramidal/oval and can reach 45’ to 50’ in height, 35’ in diameter. A female clone, hardiness to USDA zone 4.

AUTUMN RADIANCE® RED MAPLE

Acer rubrum

 Selected from a cross of October Glory® and Red Sunset®, this maple stood out for its consistent and early fall color, which is described as an excellent orange/red.  The crown of Autumn Radiance® is essentially round in outline with good natural branching structure.  This variety can attain heights over 50’ with up to a 40’ spread.  Best adapted in USDA zones 4 to 7.

NORTHWOOD RED MAPLE

Acer rubrum 'Northwood'

One of the hardiest, if not the most hardy, named red maple cultivar.  Northwood was selected from a seed source in Northern Minnesota, at the Northwestern limit of this species’ range.  Northwood is a grower-friendly tree, with a naturally straight trunk. Vigorous growth and appealing branching structure.  The fall color can be a nice orange/red if the conditions are right.  It is a male clone (seedless).  Best adapted from USDA zones 3 to 7.

Bowhall is a beautiful red maple whose narrowly pyramidal upright crown displays perfect symmetry. It is ultimately wider than Armstrong but not quite as tall. Bowhall is a wonderful variety and is definitely in demand, but its growth rate in the nursery can be classified as "lower than average."  Fall color is yellow to red, depending on conditions. Ultimate height 40 to 45’ by 15’ wide. Hardiness to USDA zone 4.

RUBYFROST™ RED MAPLE

Hailing from Grantsburg, Wisconsin, this cultivar has a uniform broad-oval habit, good drought tolerance and excellent cold tolerance. It should reach 45’ in height and nearly as much in diameter.  Rubyfrost™ looks more like a sugar maple than a red maple in habit.  Its smaller stature is also a plus for space-limited urban landscapes.  Another interesting and unusual attribute of Rubyfrost™ is its fall coloration, described as "watermelon" red. Hardiness to USDA zone 4, possibly 3.

This potato leafhopper-resistant cultivar was released from the U.S. National Arboretum breeding program in 1994. It is distinguished by having a moderately columnar habit (25’ tall by 12’ wide in 12 years) and a long period (two weeks) of intense fall color which starts out red and finishes brilliant purple/red. Its color peak is later than most other red maples, but still earlier than October Glory®. Widely adapted, it has performed well from Georgia to Michigan. Brandywine should be a great choice for planting along streets and in residential settings. Being a male cone, fruit production is not a concern. Hardiness to USDA zone 4.

AUTUMN SPIRE RED MAPLE

Acer rubrum ‘Autumn Spire’PP7803

 Autumn Spire is a broadly columnar to upright growing red maple selected in Minnesota.  Because of its above-average hardiness, this is one of the best choices for situations where an upright maple is desired in a cold climate.  Fall color is a good, consistent red and as an added bonus the spring flowers (which are bright red and occur before leafing out) are so profuse and bright to be effective ornamentally.  Autumn Spire is a male clone and is therefore fruitless.  Ultimate height 50’ with a 20 to 25’ spread.  Adapted to USDA zones 3 to 6.

BURGUNDY BELLE® RED MAPLE

Burgundy Belle® is a new red maple selected by the late Melvin Schmidt in northeast Kansas.  The parent tree has attained a height of 45' and has a compact, well-shaped, and symmetrical crown.  These traits make this variety a superior tree for street planting or for landscaping in small urban settings.  Summer foliage is a medium to dark green.  In autumn, the leaves turn to a vibrant, almost fluorescent, burgundy red that glows in the autumn sunlight and holds for a long period of time.  Several days before leaf drop, the color changes from burgundy to scarlet.  Burgundy Belle® is highly heat resistent, drought tolerant, and has withstood temperatures to -32°F without damage.  Burgundy Belle's® branches to perfection in the nursery row, giving a high percentage of premium quality grades.  This trait makes it an ideal small tree for garden center sales.  Vigor is somewhat lower than most red maples. Hardiness to USDA zone 5.

SIENNA GLEN® MAPLE

Sienna Glen™ has a very uniform branching habit that naturally makes an attractive pyramidal form and is thus highly recommended for planting along boulevards and highways for its consistent beauty. Besides excellent form, the rich green of the summer foliage gives way to a good orange/red fall color. Owing to its hybrid origins, Sienna Glen™ combines adaptability to a wide variety of soil conditions with fast growth. But luckily, Sienna Glen's vigor does not come at the expense of good form or strength against wind breakage! Because of its superior hardiness, Sienna Glen® shows high resistance to frost crackling/sunscald. Sienna Glen™ is recommended from USDA zones 3 to 6.

This seedless freeman maple is gaining popularity because of its excellent attributes. The form of the plant is distinct in that it is upright/pyramidal and relatively compact. It naturally forms good crotch angles to hold up well under heavy snow loads. It grows vigorously at first, then more moderately, ultimately reaching 45 to 50’ in height with a crown diameter of 20 to 25’. Fall color begins relatively early with red giving way to golden hues, depending on local conditions. Male clone, hardiness to USDA zone 4.

This is a great columnar maple that is gaining in popularity. It was originally selected in New York State for its narrow upright habit that becomes more oval with age. It has noticeably red twigs that contrast nicely with its dark green foliage. Its dimensions are perfect for urban landscape settings, ultimately attaining 35’ to 40’ in height and 15’ to 20’ in diameter. Fall color is yellow to red and as an added bonus, it is a male clone! Hardy to USDA zone 4.

Beautiful plant form and exceptional foliage color come together in Summer Red® Red Maple. This new selection is generating much excitement because of its outstanding red-colored new growth and adaptability to the heat and lower chill hours of the Southern Tier states. The distinctive two-tone effect is also seen in the fall with the older leaves turning yellow and the younger leaves changing to orange or purple. The growth habit produces a naturally well-branched tree making this a good plant for the nurseryman as well. Selected from a Virginia seed source, this superior ornamental is very well adapted from USDA zones 6 to 9.

Selected in Lisle, IL at the Morton Arboretum, the unusual name of this variety is derived from Margaret Morton, in whose honor it was named. This variety has withstood the rigors of Northern Illinois winters and has performed better in heavy clay soils than most red maple cultivars. Marmo grows vigorously but has a good upright habit, nice strong branching structure, and a strong central leader. Fall color seen on Marmo trees in Northern Illinois varies from site to site and year to year, but is generally an interesting mix of red and green, as well as burgundy, yellow and gold hues. The parent tree, which is now over 75 years old, has attained 70’ in height by 35’ in diameter. This tree can be grown from USDA zones 3 to 8.

FIREFALL™ FREEMAN MAPLE

Acer x freemanii  ‘AF #1’ PP15,593

 Resulting from a controlled cross of a cutleaf form of silver maple (Beebe cultivar) and Autumn Spire red maple, this new male (seedless) freeman maple from Minnesota represents a new addition to the lineup of hardy maples.  Firefall™ has a symmetrical oval form with branches that grow at approximately 40° angles relative to the leader.  It can reach 50 in height with a 30 to 40’ crown width.  The foliage is somewhat cut and develops excellent red fall color.  Like other freeman maples, this tree is vigorous but it hardens off earlier in the fall than other freeman maples.  Adapted to USDA zones 3 to 6.

RED SUPERSONIC ™ RED MAPLE

Acer rubrum  ‘Resupszam’

Upright growing red maples continue to see strong sales even in a down market.  Here is a new narrow upright flaming orange/red fall color and crisp green foliage in the growing season. The ultimate height and width of this variety is 40 and 10’, respectively.  Hardy to USDA zone 3 or 4.

New World was selected for excellent potato leafhopper resistance, cold tolerance, attractive orange/red fall color, and for its unique upright-to-spreading habit. In fact the habit is so unusual for a red maple, that the mature tree resembles a small upright American Elm in structure.  This combination of characteristics make it a very good choice for urban areas, especially in the Northern States. The ultimate height should be between 30 to 35’ with a spread of about ½ the height. New World is a male clone hardy USDA zone 4.