Summer Red Maple Tree

Fast Growing & Amazing Fall Colors

Are you looking for a shade tree? Have a small yard? The Summer Red Maple is the best small tree for you! With a narrow and dense growth structure, this Red Maple will bring fall to your landscape early in the year.

Summer Red Maples are mostly seen in your downtown or urban areas. The fast growing maple trees tolerate urban environments and air pollution, making them an excellent choice for parks or streets. You can even add the Red Maple to a large garden bed as a focal point and to provide shade to your other plants during the hot summer months.

What Color Are Summer Red Maple Trees?

Summer Red maple trees change colors each season. Unlike other Red Maple Trees, the Acer rubrum ‘HOSR” will bear red leaves in the Spring. In the months of summer, the foliage will turn to dark purplish green, and then once the weather cools down, the yellow and orange fall-colored foliage will reappear! Truly a beautiful site all year round.

If you’re having trouble with your maple tree’s color, read our blog about Why Aren’t My Maple Tree Leaves Turning Red.

Do Summer Red Maples Lose Their Leaves?

Yes, Summer Red maple trees lose their leaves once a year. Maple trees are deciduous in nature, so all of them will lose their leaves in the fall, only for them to return in the early spring the following year.

Do Summer Red Maples Need Fertilizer?

In their youth, fertilizer will help a small Summer Red maple tree get the nutrients it needs to grow. However, most medium to large sized maple trees will not need any fertilizer. A mature Summer Red will get by just fine on sunlight and rainfall to stay healthy.

SUMMER RED MAPLE TREE CARE

The Summer Red Maple thrives in USDA zones 3-9. They are extremely tolerant of wet soil conditions and do not require pruning to keep a symmetrical canopy. Space your Summer Red Maple Trees 20 to 25 feet apart as a privacy screen, or 50 feet apart as a single specimen. If planting near a foundation or concrete, allow 20 feet of distance.

How to Plant a Red Maple Tree

Maple trees can be planted anytime except winter, but the ideal planting season for these beauties is spring or fall. First, you will need to dig a hole that is as deep as the container and 3-feet wide. Remove the Summer Red maple tree sapling from the container and place it in the planting hole, making sure the soil line on the stem is even with the surrounding soil. If the root ball is buried too deep the roots may rot. We recommend using a well draining soil that is slightly acidic for best results.

Backfill the hole with the removed soil, and gently tamp the soil as you are backfilling the hole to ensure there are no air pockets. Level the soil surface and water thoroughly. Place 2-inches of organic mulch around the base of the trunk to help retain soil moisture. Straw or tree bark are good organic mulch products to use since they will add nutrients to the soil as they decompose. The Summer Red Maple is extremely fast-growing and will provide plenty of shade before you know it.

Learn more about How to Plant a Maple Tree in our blog.

How Fast Do Red Maple Trees Grow

The Summer Red Maple tree growth rate can reach more than 24 inches per year. In perfect conditions, the maple can hit 6 feet of growth in a year! Apply our slow-release fertilizer to reach maximum growth. At full maturity, this red maple cultivar will reach 35 to 40 feet tall and 20 to 25 feet wide.

How to Prune a Red Maple Tree

Pruning a Red Maple tree is hardly needed. If you wish to prune your tree, we advise you to do it during its dormant season. During warmer times of the year, the tree sap will run free from any cuts made to the tree. You can prune off any diseased or dead branches to keep the tree in tip top shape. As always, sanitize your trimming shears before and after use. Older leaves may turn yellow as they prepare for their deciduous season.

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