Red Maple Tree

Red Maple Tree: Fast-Growing Native Shade Tree With Red Flowers and Fiery Fall Color

The red maple tree (Acer rubrum) is a fast-growing native shade tree that reaches 40 to 60 feet tall, opens red flowers in late winter and turns scarlet, orange and yellow in fall. Red maple is hardy in USDA zones 3–9 and thrives in sun or part shade. TN Nursery ships bare-root red maple trees, Buy 1 Get 1 Free.

Red maple is a member of the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, and is one of the most widespread native trees in eastern North America, growing wild from Newfoundland and Minnesota south to Florida and east Texas. Gardeners also know red maple as swamp maple, water maple, scarlet maple and soft maple. True to the name, a red maple tree shows red in every season: red flower clusters in February and March, red-tinged winged seeds in spring, red leaf stems in summer and brilliant color in October.

• Botanical name: Acer rubrum, soapberry family (Sapindaceae)
• Also called: swamp maple, water maple, scarlet maple, soft maple
• Mature size: 40–60 feet tall and 30–50 feet wide
• Growth rate: fast, 1–2 feet or more per year
• Flowers: small red clusters on bare branches, February–April
• Leaves: 3- to 5-lobed, 2–6 inches, green above and silvery below
• Wildlife value: early pollen and nectar for bees; seeds for songbirds and squirrels; host plant for native caterpillars
• What ships: bare-root trees in 1–2 ft, 2–3 ft, 3–4 ft and 4–5 ft sizes, as Buy 1 Get 1 Free, Buy 3 Get 2 Free or 25-tree wholesale bundles

How Fast Does a Red Maple Tree Grow?

A red maple tree grows fast, typically 1 to 2 feet or more per year in full sun and moist soil. A young red maple can provide useful shade within about 10 years of planting.

When Does a Red Maple Turn Red?

A red maple turns red twice a year: the flowers open red on bare branches in late winter, and the leaves turn scarlet, orange or yellow in October. Fall color peaks in early to mid-October across most of zones 4–7.

The spring flowers are among the first blooms of the year, so a red maple feeds honeybees and native bees when little else is open. Fall color varies from tree to tree on seed-grown red maples, so a row of red maple trees glows in a mix of crimson, orange and gold.

Where Does a Red Maple Tree Grow Best?

A red maple tree grows best in full sun to part shade in moist, slightly acidic soil (pH 4.5–6.5), and red maple adapts to wet, average and drier sites. Few shade trees handle such a wide range of soils.

Plant red maple trees 30 to 40 feet apart for shade and at least 20 feet from the house. A red maple makes an excellent lawn or street tree, a fast screen along a property line and a natural fit for rain gardens, pond edges and stream banks.

What Is the Difference Between Red Maple, Red Sunset Maple and Sugar Maple?

Red maple is the native species, Acer rubrum, grown from seed; the Red Sunset maple is a named red maple selection with a uniform crown and dependable scarlet color; and the sugar maple is a separate species, Acer saccharum, prized for orange fall color and syrup.

Choose a seed-grown red maple for natural variety, wildlife plantings and the widest soil range, including wet ground. Red maple leaves have toothed edges and V-shaped notches between the lobes, while sugar maple leaves have smooth edges and U-shaped notches.

What Grows Well With Red Maple Trees?

Native flowering trees, oaks and ferns grow well with red maple trees. An Eastern redbud and a white dogwood bloom at the woodland edge, while a pin oak and a river birch share the same moist, sunny sites. Cinnamon fern fills damp ground beneath the canopy. Planting acres of habitat or a windbreak? Our red maple seedlings are priced for bulk planting. Explore more in our fast growing trees collection.

How Do You Plant a Bare-Root Red Maple Tree?

Plant a bare-root red maple tree while dormant, from late fall to early spring, with the root flare level with the ground. Water deeply after planting and once a week through the first summer.

At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we dig each red maple while dormant, pack the roots in moist material and ship the tree bare root at the height you choose.

1. Soak the roots in water for 2 to 4 hours.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread and as deep as the roots.
3. Set the tree with the root flare level with the soil and spread the roots outward.
4. Backfill with native soil, firm gently and water slowly until soaked.
5. Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch in a 3-foot ring, keeping it off the trunk.

Planting & Growing Information

Botanical Name: Acer rubrum
Plant Family: Sapindaceae (soapberry family)
Ships: Bare root, 1–2 ft, 2–3 ft, 3–4 ft and 4–5 ft
Planting Zone: 3–9
Height at Maturity: 40–60 feet
Spread: 30–50 feet
Growth Rate: Fast, 1–2 feet or more per year
Sun or Shade: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Moderate to high; grows in wet to average soil
Soil: Slightly acidic loam, clay or sand, pH 4.5–6.5
Bloom Season: February–April
Fall Color: Scarlet, orange and yellow
Native Range: Eastern North America
Care: Water weekly the first summer and refresh mulch each spring. Shape young trees in late summer.
Plant Attributes: Fast-growing shade tree, early spring flowers for bees, brilliant fall color, wet-site tolerant

Red Maple Tree FAQ

How tall do red maple trees grow?

Red maple trees grow 40 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet wide in most landscapes.

How far apart should you plant red maple trees?

Plant red maple trees 30 to 40 feet apart for shade, or 15 to 20 feet apart for a faster screen.

How long do red maple trees live?

Red maple trees commonly live 80 years or more, and red maples on good sites can pass 100 years.

When should you prune a red maple?

Prune a red maple in late summer, after spring sap flow ends, removing only crossing or low branches.

What is the scientific name of red maple?

The scientific name of red maple is Acer rubrum, from the Latin word for red.

What zones do red maple trees grow in?

Red maple trees grow in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9.

Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery

TN Nursery has grown hardy native plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow, dig and ship red maple trees to yards and farms across the country. Each tree is dug while dormant and packed bare root so the roots settle quickly into new soil. Want to learn more first? Read How Fast Does a Red Maple Grow?, Red Maples: A Crimson Touch to Autumn and How to Care for a Newly Planted Maple Tree on our garden blog, or browse our shade trees.