Feature Tree - August 2003
Autumn Blaze Maple

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Common Name:  Autumn Blaze Maple 

Scientific Name:  Acer x freemanii 

Family:  Aceraceae 

This Tree in Colorado:  Autumn Blaze maple is a hybrid maple developed from crossing the silver maple (Acer saccharinum) with the red maple (Acer rubrum).  The silver maple and red maple both have questionable merits as reliable shade trees in our State, however, the Autumn Blaze maple has been engineered to provide the excellent qualities of both its parents; fast growth rate, stronger wood, some drought resistance, and excellent, reliable red Fall color.      

Growth Rate: Moderate to fast growing. 

Landscape Use:  The tree can grow to 50 feet in height and 45 feet in width, so be sure to give the tree plenty of above and below-ground space to grow.  Can work well as a street tree.  Red Fall color has been spectacular on this maple variety and has withstood some heavy snow loads that have decimated silver maple populations. 

Hardiness:  Zone 3-9.  Has shown good tolerance of temperature extremes here in Colorado, occasionally will show some tip die-back. 

Leaves:  Deeply 5-lobed resembling those of silver maple, rich green with excellent orange-red fall color that persists later than other maples. 

Flowers:  Insignificant 

Bark:  Smooth, whitish when young, becoming furrowed with dark ridges as it ages. 

Insects and Disease:  None significant at this time 

Information Sources:  Dirr, Michael Dr., “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants”, 1998.