How to Grow a Red Maple Tree

Spectacular fall color is the calling card of the red maple tree (Acer rubrum), but it stars in the spring landscape as well. Its tiny red flowers herald the arrival of spring and emerge early. Dark, glossy green leaves remain throughout the summer making it an excellent shade tree. The red maple is a favorite for home planting.

Things You'll Need

• Red maple tree
• Shovel
• Water
• Mulch or other organic material

Instructions

1. Purchase your red maple tree. Most specimens are purchased in containers or balled-and-burlapped. If there is a delay in planting, keep the red maple tree well watered.

2. Choose a planting site which provides full or partial shade. Well-drained, loamy soil is preferred and a neutral to acidic pH level encourages best growth. Red maples thrive in moist soil and tolerate wet locations in the landscape.

3. Prepare the tree for planting. Remove any twine or wire from around the trunk. Cut the fabric of balled-and-burlapped specimens to half the height of the rootball. Containerized trees can be placed on the ground and rolled back and forth to loosen the tree. Gently pull the red maple from the pot.

4. Dig a planting hole 4 times the width of the tree's rootball and equally as deep. When placed in the planting hole, the top of the rootball should be even with the ground.

5. Position the tree in the planting hole. Backfill a small amount of the original soil into the hole to maintain the trees placement. Water in the tree by filling the hole with water and allowing the rootball and surrounding soil to absorb. Backfill the remaining soil and water deeply again.

6. Spread mulch over the planting site help retain moisture and prevent weeds.

Tips & Warnings

• The ideal planting time for a red maple is early spring when the ground is workable. Red maple transplants are slow to put out new roots. Planting in early spring allows optimum growing time before the ground freezes.

• During the first five years, water the red maple weekly with at least 1 1/2 inches of water.

• Winterizing the red maple requires minimal care. Fertilize around the root zone in early November, and give the young tree a good soaking before the ground freezes.

• For best fall color, the "Red Sunset" cultivar is the most reliable with spectacular red and orange foliage.

• The red maple is hardy in zones 3 through 10. Always check the USDA Hardiness Zone map to verify a plant's suitability in your area.

• Allow plenty of room for your tree. The red maple is a deciduous broadleaf tree that can grow to a height of 100 feet in its native habitat. Homeowners can expect the tree to reach 60 feet high and equally as wide maintaining an oval shape.

• The root system of the red maple is very shallow. When planted in a lawn it may cause the turfgrass to brown more quickly during periods of draught. Watering the lawn more frequently alleviates the problem.

• Red maples react to alkaline soil, high pH, by undergoing a process called "chlorosis," an iron deficiency which turns the leaves yellow. Do a soil test to determine the pH level of the planting site.