How to Grow & Care For Maple Trees
Grow this classic landscape tree for long-lasting beauty and multi-seasonal appeal.
Sugar maple tree. Photo by: Here Now / Shutterstock
Maples are one of the most common deciduous trees, and are found growing natively in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly North America, Europe, and Asia. This popular landscape tree is valued for its hardiness, adaptability, elegant structure, attractive lobed leaves, and brilliant fall color.
There are over 130 species of maples and hundreds of varieties, ranging from statuesque bigleaf maples to diminutive Japanese maples. These beautiful trees provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for songbirds and other wildlife. Maples are extremely versatile in the landscape, as shade trees, street trees, in mixed borders, woodland settings, and even containers. Here are some of the different types of maples, along with how to grow, plant, and use them in your yard.
On this page: Basics | Planting | Care | Varieties | Frequently Asked Questions
- BASICS
- HOW TO PLANT MAPLE TREES
- MAPLE TREE CARE
- MAPLE VARIETIES
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- DESIGN IDEAS
BASICS
Botanical name:
Acer spp.
Common names:
Maple; many species have their own common name
Plant type:
Deciduous tree
Zones:
2-10, depending on the variety
Exposure:
Full sun to partial shade
Habit:
Upright, shrubby, mounding, or weeping habit
Height/spread:
2 to 100 feet tall, 2 to 50 feet wide, depending on the variety
Bloom time:
Spring
Foliage:
Leaves are lobed or dissected, ranging from 1 to 12 inches across. The deciduous foliage occurs in colors of green, chartreuse, purple, burgundy, pink, yellow, or variegation. Many varieties have red, orange, or yellow fall color.
Flowers:
Maple flowers can be showy or inconspicuous, appearing in early spring when plants are leafing out. Multi-petaled flowers grow in clusters along the branches, with an upright or dangling habit. Maple trees can be monoecious, with male and female flowers on the same plant, or dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Flower colors may be white, cream, yellow, chartreuse, or red.
Seeds:
Dangling clusters of winged seeds or fruits, known as samaras, appear after maple trees have finished flowering. They are also referred to as helicopter seeds for the whirling motion they make as they fall to the ground, similar to a helicopter’s moving rotor blade. This motion allows seeds to be further dispersed on wind currents. Seeds can be green, white, yellow, or red, turning brown or tan as they age.
Maple tree seed pods. Photo by: Molly Shannon / Shutterstock
PLANTING MAPLE TREES
Choose a maple variety that will perform well in your area and won’t outgrow its space. Follow these tips for planting maple trees.
When to plant:
Maple trees can be planted during cooler months in spring or early fall. Wait until all danger of frost is past in spring, or plant at least 6 weeks before your first freeze date in fall to allow roots time to establish.
Where to plant:
Choose a site with full sun, partial sun, or dappled shade. Provide protection from afternoon sun in hotter climates. Soil should be well-drained. Allow enough room for the spreading roots, and for plants to reach their full mature size. Avoid planting too close to homes, sidewalks, driveways and underground utilities, as the roots can cause damage. The root system will eventually become as wide as the mature tree canopy.
How to plant:
Loosen soil in the planting area and amend soil as needed. Dig a hole slightly deeper and at least 3 times as wide as the root ball to allow enough room for the shallow spreading roots.
If the planting hole is too small, roots can become impeded from growing and circle around themselves, a problem known as girdling. Maple trees are susceptible to root girdling, which can stunt growth, cause instability, or strangle the tree over time. Symptoms include abnormal trunk flare, small leaves, early leaf drop, canopy dieback, and roots that are visible above the ground. Some surface roots are normal.
Once the planting hole has been dug, remove the maple tree from its nursery pot and tease out roots if potbound. Place in the hole so the top of the root ball is at or slightly higher than ground level, making sure the roots are spread outward from the trunk. Fill in the planting hole with soil and gently tamp down to remove air pockets. Water plants regularly until established.
Spacing:
Space plants according to the mature size.
MAPLE TREE CARE
These deciduous trees have a shallow root system that will compete with other plants for water and nutrients. To grow healthy maple trees, provide a good location, proper planting and care.
Soil:
Maples can tolerate a range of soil conditions, but prefer average, well-draining soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH between 5.0 and 7.0. For containers, use a high quality all-purpose potting mix.
Janey Santos of Dig, Plant, Water, Repeat cautions against over-amending soil. “If you give too much support to a tree, it’s never going to develop the strength that it needs to handle life on its own.”
Watering:
Maple trees grow best with regular moisture, though there are some drought-tolerant maple trees such as red maple. Provide supplemental water during prolonged heat and dry spells. Plants in containers will need more frequent watering than those in the ground. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot and other diseases.
Fertilizer:
Once established, maple trees need little or no supplemental fertilizer. Younger trees will benefit from fertilizing to promote strong, healthy root growth. In early spring, apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer formulated for trees and shrubs according to package instructions
Mulch:
Maples will benefit from a thin layer of mulch placed around the base of plants in spring. Use shredded bark or chips and apply in a 2- to 4-inch layer. This will provide nutrients, suppress weeds and retain moisture. Avoid placing bark against the trunk to avoid rot. Too much mulch can cause harm to roots, restrict oxygen, attract pests and diseases, and trap moisture.
Pruning:
Maples need little pruning and should be allowed to retain their natural shape and size. Remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches as they occur, and lightly shape plants as needed. Avoid topping or removing the central leader, which will destroy the natural shape and structure.
Wait until late spring or summer to prune younger specimens to minimize stress from sap loss. Limb up lower branches of young trees to the desired height. Prune judiciously to avoid a misshapen canopy. Use clean and sterilized pruners to prevent the spread of verticillium wilt or other diseases.
Diseases and pests:
When given the right growing conditions, maple trees will be more resilient to pests and diseases, though some species are more resilient than others. Pests include aphids, gall, maple borer, maple leafcutter, scale, and spider mites. Diseases include anthracnose, bacterial leaf scorch, bacterial leaf spot, powdery mildew, root rot, and verticillium wilt.
Some types of maples, particularly Japanese maple, red maple, and Norway maple are susceptible to verticillium wilt, a fungal disease that can cause branch dieback or kill plants. Avoid planting new maples or other susceptible plants on the site of a diseased plant, as verticillium wilt can remain in the soil.
TYPES OF MAPLE TREES
Photo by: meunierd / Shutterstock
AMUR MAPLE (syn. Siberian Maple, Crimson-Leaved Maple)
Acer ginnala (syn. A. tartaricum ssp. ginnala)
Zones: 3-8
Habit: Upright spreading habit
Height and spread: 15 to 20 feet tall and wide
Color: Green foliage, white flowers, red seeds, red or yellow fall color
Native to northeastern Asia and Japan, Amur maple is a hardy species suitable for smaller yards, and can be grown as a small tree, multi-stemmed shrub, or hedging. Amur maple produces bright green leaves, fragrant white flowers, and dangling clusters of showy red seeds. Foliage turns brilliant red or yellow in fall. Amur maple grows best in areas with cool summers, and is listed as invasive in parts of the Midwest and northeastern U.S.
Photo by: Kosof / Shutterstock
AUTUMN BLAZE MAPLE (syn. Freeman Maple)
Acer x freemanii
Zones: 3-8
Habit: Upright habit
Height and spread: 40 to 55 feet tall, 30 to 40 feet wide
Color: Green foliage, chartreuse to red flowers, red fall color
This fast-growing tree is highly adaptable, tolerant of urban pollution, and compacted, wet, and poor soils. Autumn Blaze is one of the best maple trees for fall color. Laura Leboutillier of Garden Answer says, “That’s an amazing tree. It grows 50 feet tall by 40 feet wide and that’s what we’ve got lining our driveway.” She adds,“They also get the nice bright red color... it’s a mix between a red maple and a silver maple.” Use Autumn Blaze maple as a shade tree, street tree, or in a rain garden.
Photo by: Willam T Smith / Shutterstock
BIGLEAF MAPLE (syn. Oregon Maple)
Acer macrophyllum
Zones: 6-8
Habit: Upright spreading habit
Height and spread: 40 to 75 feet tall and wide, with some specimens reaching 100 feet tall
Color: Green leaves, chartreuse flowers, green seeds, yellow and orange fall color
Bigleaf maple is the largest maple species in North America, producing the biggest leaves of any other maple, up to 12 inches wide. Native to the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and California, this fast-growing shade tree can be found in moist woodlands and along streams. Bigleaf maple can be naturalized in native landscapes and woodlands, where it provides food, shelter, and habitat for wildlife.
Photo by: footageclips / Shutterstock
BOXELDER MAPLE (syn. Ashleaf Maple)
Acer negundo
Zones: 2-10
Habit: Upright spreading habit
Height and spread: 30 to 50 feet tall and wide
Color: Green foliage, insignificant flowers and fall color
Native to North America, boxelder thrives in a wide range of growing conditions including urban environments. This fast-growing, medium-sized tree can produce 2 feet of growth in a single season. Plants are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Boxelder has an upright habit and an irregular rounded crown, with ash-like green foliage and insignificant fall color. Use as a street tree or along a slope for erosion control. Plants are susceptible to storm damage due to the brittle wood, and are invasive in parts of the Midwest and southwestern U.S.
Photo by: Kenny Garvey / Shutterstock
JAPANESE MAPLE
Acer japonicum, A. palmatum, A. shirasawanum
Zones: 5-9, depending on the cultivar
Habit: Upright, mounding, or weeping habit
Height and spread: 2 to 30 feet tall and wide
Color: Green, purple, burgundy, pink, yellow, or variegated foliage; red, orange, gold or yellow fall color
With deeply dissected leaves, an elegant growth habit, and brilliant fall color, this popular landscape tree adds beauty and elegance to any yard, and is one of the best maple trees for small spaces. Japanese maple comes in hundreds of cultivars, with different growth habits, leaf shapes, and foliage colors. Use this highly versatile tree as a focal point, background element, in containers, mixed borders, woodland settings, and Asian-style landscapes. Popular varieties include ‘Autumn Moon’, ‘Bloodgood’ (pictured), ‘Crimson Queen’ and ‘Sango Kaku’ coral bark maple.
Photo by: Ilyne Billie / Shutterstock
NORWAY MAPLE
Acer platanoides
Zones: 3-7
Habit: Upright habit
Height and spread: 40 to 60 feet tall, 30 to 50 feet wide, with some specimens reaching up to 100 feet tall
Color: Green foliage; yellow and orange fall color
Native to Europe, Norway maple is a large, fast-growing shade tree with five-lobed dark green leaves and yellow and orange fall color. Plants have a tall, upright habit and a dense, rounded canopy. Norway maple is susceptible to verticillium wilt, and has a shallow root system that can damage sidewalks and driveways. This non-native species is invasive in parts of the northeastern US, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and northwestern U.S.
Photo by: guentermanaus / Shutterstock
PAPERBARK MAPLE
Acer griseum
Zones: 4-8
Habit: Upright habit
Height and spread: 20 to 30 feet tall, 15 to 25 feet wide
Color: Green foliage, orange and red fall color, brown and red trunk
Named for the stunning exfoliating bark, paperbark maple is one of the best maple trees for small yards. The chestnut-brown bark peels away to reveal an underlayer of cinnamon-red wood, adding winter appeal to the landscape. Native to China, this slow-growing tree has upright branching and a rounded canopy. Three-lobed, dark green leaves turn shades of brilliant orange and red in fall. Use in a mixed border, or as a captivating focal point.
Photo by: anmbph / Shutterstock
RED MAPLE
Acer rubrum
Zones: 3-9
Habit: Upright habit
Height and spread: 40 to 70 feet tall, 30 to 50 feet wide
Color: Green foliage, red flowers, red seeds, orange-red fall color
Named for the red flowers, red seeds, and red leaves in fall, this species is native to eastern and central North America. “The red maple is the perfect tree if you are looking for a pop of color in every season,” says Rusty Dawkins of the Arbor Day Foundation, in this short video. This large shade tree is commonly used in urban parks and landscapes. Red maple has a tall upright habit, with a pyramidal shape that matures into a rounded crown. Plants are tolerant of wet or dry conditions, heat and cold, and adapt to most soil types. Varieties include ‘October Glory’ and ‘Redpointe’.
Photo by: jessicahyde / Shutterstock
SILVER MAPLE
Acer saccharinum
Zones: 3-9
Habit: Upright habit
Height and spread: 50 to 80 feet tall, 40 to 60 feet wide
Color: Green and silver foliage, pale yellow fall color
This large, fast-growing shade tree is named for the five-lobed leaves with silvery-white undersides that shimmer in a gentle breeze. Native to eastern and central North America, silver maple has a tall upright habit with an open spreading canopy. Plants thrive in wet and poor soils, and can be problematic due to the weak limbs and extensive root system that may damage sidewalks and sewer lines.
Photo by: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock
SUGAR MAPLE
Acer saccharum
Zones: 3-8
Habit: Upright habit
Height and spread: 40 to 100 feet tall, 30 to 60 feet wide
Color: Green foliage; orange-red fall color
Sugar maple is a large, long-lived tree valued for its vibrant fall foliage, high quality hardwood and sweet sap that is used to make maple syrup and other products. “The sugar maple is one of America’s favorite trees. It displays dark green leaves in the summer and changes to vibrant shades of yellow, burnt orange and red in the fall,” says Dawkins, in this short video. It is commonly found growing in eastern and central North American forests. Sugar maple grows best in cooler climates and is sensitive to heat, drought, air pollution, and salt, making it less suitable for urban environments.
Photo by: jackdreamhd / Shutterstock
TRIDENT MAPLE (syn. Three-Toothed Maple)
Acer buergerianum
Zones: 5-9
Habit: Upright habit
Height and spread: 20 to 35 feet tall, 15 to 25 feet wide
Color: Green foliage; orange-red fall color
Native to China and Japan, this slow-growing medium-sized tree has an upright habit and rounded canopy. Triangular three-lobed leaves are glossy and darker green on top with a pale green underside. Fall color is variable, from dark red to orange. Plants experience no serious pest and disease problems and are tolerant of urban conditions. Trident maple is susceptible to storm damage due to its weak branches. Use as a street or patio tree.
Photo by: Bob Pool / Shutterstock
VINE MAPLE (syn. Oregon Vine Maple)
Acer circinatum
Zones: 5-9
Habit: Upright shrubby or vining habit
Height and spread: 10 to 25 feet tall, 15 to 20 feet wide
Color: Green foliage; red, orange and yellow fall color
Vine maple is a multi-stemmed small tree that grows natively as an understory plant in Pacific Northwest woodlands. Lobed leaves are bright green with hints of red in spring, turning red, orange, and yellow in fall. The red winged seeds are a food source for songbirds and other wildlife. This attractive smaller tree can be used as a substitute for Japanese maple in a shady border, or as a specimen. Vine maple prefers cooler conditions and rich, moist soil.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are maple trees deer resistant?
Maple trees are generally considered to be deer resistant, though deer may graze on leaves and bark if they are hungry enough.
Are maple tree poisonous?
Maple trees are nontoxic to humans, dogs, and cats, but the ingestion of any non-edible plant may cause mild stomach distress. Red maple can be toxic to horses if bark or dried leaves are ingested.
How long do maple trees take to grow?
Maple trees can take several decades to reach maturity. Fast-growing varieties can produce 2 feet of growth in a single season. In general, maple trees will take 10 to 30 years to reach their full mature size.
Is a maple tree a good yard tree?
Some maple trees make better yard trees than others. Choose cultivars that won’t get too large and are easy to maintain.
What are the downsides of maple trees?
This deciduous tree is susceptible to some pests and diseases such as verticillium wilt. Some varieties may be prone to storm damage, cause root damage to homes and sidewalks, or be invasive in some areas.
How close to a house should a maple tree be?
Maples are shallow rooted and can cause damage to home and building foundations if planted too close. As a general rule, plant at least 15 to 20 feet away from a home.
What is the average lifespan of a maple tree?
Maples are long-lived trees that can survive up to 400 years. The average lifespan is 30 to 150 years.
Are all maple trees messy?
Maple trees can be somewhat messy, with dropped seeds that may self sow, and fallen leaves in autumn. To keep your yard clean, pick up seeds periodically and rake leaves in fall.
Can you tap any maple tree for syrup?
All maple trees produce sap, but most sap is not considered edible. Sugar maple has the sweetest sap, and is the most commonly used species to produce maple syrup and other edible maple products. Silver maple and red maple produce edible sap that is less sweet than sugar maple.
MAPLE TREE LANDSCAPING TIPS
For borders and landscapes:
Maple trees can be planted in a woodland setting, native landscape, mixed border, or as a showy focal point.
For slopes and hillsides:
With an extensive shallow root system, maple trees can help stem erosion on slopes and hillsides.
For containers:
Smaller varieties of maples such as dwarf Japanese maple can be planted in containers. Maples are prone to root girdling, which can strangle plants. Tease out roots before planting and provide adequate room for maple roots to grow.
Maple tree types come in a wide range of sizes and shapes to suit any landscape need. Here are some landscaping ideas:
- Plant native maples in a native landscape alongside other plants indigenous to your region.
- Use a showy variety such as coral bark maple or paperbark maple as a stunning focal point.
- A dwarf variety of Japanese maple tree can be planted in a small space or urban yard.
- Plant maples along a hillside and allow the vigorous roots to spread, which will help stem erosion.
- Adorn a woodland setting with maple trees for structure and shade.
- Plant a maple specimen in a lawn or near a patio to provide cooling shade during hot summer months.
- Include Japanese maples as an integral part of an Asian-style landscape.
- Use maple varieties such as coral bark maple and paperbark maple to provide winter interest in the landscape for four-season appeal.
- Plant a dwarf variety of Japanese maple in a container and place on a patio or deck for year-round color and structure.
- Include a smaller maple in a rain garden where it will thrive in the regular moisture.
- Larger species such as bigleaf maple and silver maple can be used on a spacious property for structure and shade.
Companion plants:
There are many plants that thrive alongside or underneath maples in the same growing conditions of full sun or partial shade, regular moisture and average soil. These include abelia, astilbe, camellia, coral bells, ferns, ginger, hakone grass, hardy geranium, hellebore, hydrangea, lungwort, periwinkle, phlox, rhododendron and sweet woodruff.
Avoid planting companion varieties too close to maple trees that would compete for water and nutrients.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Janet Loughrey is a veteran garden writer and photographer with over 25 years of experience, contributing to major publications like Garden Design, Better Homes and Gardens, and Sunset. A former Master Gardener, she brings hands-on expertise from gardening in a wide range of climates, from upstate New York to the Pacific Northwest.
