Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Other Names:  Swamp Maple, Scarlet Maple

Description:

A choice shade tree for smaller areas, with a narrowly upright habit of growth, that relaxes with age; blazing red fall color with orange highlights, showy red flowers line the bare branches in spring; intolerant of alkaline soils; improved hardiness

Ornamental Features

Red Rocket Red Maple is primarily valued in the landscape for its rigidly columnar form. It features showy clusters of red flowers along the branches in early spring before the leaves. It has green deciduous foliage which emerges red in spring. The lobed leaves turn an outstanding red in the fall. The furrowed silver bark and red branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Red Rocket Red Maple is a dense deciduous tree with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned in summer after the leaves have fully developed, as it may 'bleed' sap if pruned in late winter or early spring. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Red Rocket Red Maple is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Vertical Accent

Planting & Growing

Red Rocket Red Maple will grow to be about 35 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.