Maple Trees - Maple Tree Varieties

Maple trees are classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae. The tree stands apart in its identification due to its distinctly shaped and arranged leaves. Its leaves are palm shaped, veined and lobed in green, red, orange or/and yellow hues that always have a startling effect on the beholder. The tree bears small flowers, depending upon its variety. The flowers are borne in clusters, with small friuts. Maple trees come in a wide range of species. Some of the most popular varieties are listed below for your information and knowledge.

Varieties of Maple Trees

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum): Sugar maples are a favorite among the landscapers of southeastern Canada and New England for their amazing fall colors with a mix of yellow, orange and red hues. They are slow growers that can reach a height of 50 to 75 feet, with a spread of 30 to 45 feet. Their leaves are 3-5 inches wide, five lobed with bright green color on the upper surface and a shade lighter beneath. They bear horseshoe shaped double winged fruit that mature in fall. They prefer full to partial shade and a well drained soil. Excess water tends to rot their trunk while less water dries out their leaves.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum): Of all the maple varieties, Red maple is the first one to indicate fall's approach with its cluster of flowers and change in the color of the leaves. It grows in a pyramidal shape, attaining a rounded crown shape upon reaching maturity. It is deciduous in nature with triangular shaped leaves that are 2 to 5 inches wide and have 3 to 5 lobes. The fall colors include yellow, yellow-green and shades of orange and red. The mature leaves appear whitish on the underside. The fruit it bears is V-shaped and double-winged. They are moderate growers that grow well in full sun as well as partial shade. They are not very fussy about the type of soil they grow in: sandy loam to clay, suits them just fine.

Florida Maple (Acer barbatum): Native to North America, the Florida maple is a deciduous tree that can attain a height of 50 to 60 feet. The tree is oval shaped and excellent for providing shade. Its fall colors include muted yellow or orange. The leaves of a Florida maple are small and compact and can easily be distinguished from other maple trees as their edges turn under slightly. Depending upon the climatic and soil conditions, a Florida maple can alternate its growth from moderate to rapid. It requires full sun and moist, well drained soil. Compact soil hampers its growth.

Chalk Maple (Acer leucoderm): A Chalk maple, also known as Whitebark maple is a smaller version of the Sugar maple and often confused to be the latter's subspecies. It is called Chalk because of its smooth chalky white bark found on mature trees. It is a slow grower, requires full sun and moist, well drained soil. It is widely used as a street tree to create pathways because it is drought tolerant and small in height: 25 to 30 feet and about 25 feet wide. Easy to grow, with spectacular fall colors that range from yellow-orange to deep red.

Black Maple (Acer nigrum): The Black maple is also known as Hard maple, Rock maple and Black Sugar Maple and is very similar to the Sugar maple in most of its growing, habitat and soil needs. The bark of a matured Black maple is a darker gray or blackish as compared to other maples. Its foliage is more dense, hence, needs a large area to spread itself on the top. The leaves are mostly three lobed with small notches and hairy underneath with a droopy appearance. Its fall colors are mostly shades of yellow. The fruit is paired wings that sprout from the sides of the one inch long seed. The average height of a Black maple ranges between 30 to 40 feet.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum): A Silver maple will grow rapidly until it reaches maturity. Mature trees can gain height in excess of 100 feet. It is known as Silver mainly because of its 3 to 6 inches wide, five lobed leaves that have a silvery underside and it is the only maple to have a shade of brown as its fall color. In early spring, the tree bears small flowers with colors that range from greenish yellow to red. The fruit is V-shaped and double-winged, with widely divergent wings and two seeds. In most cases, one often falls off. Silver maple thrives well in full to partial sun and in any type of soil.

Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum): Bigleaf is also popularly known as Broadleaf maple and Oregon maple and it is a perennial tree. It is primarily grown for shade and maple syrup (extracted from its sap). It is known as Bigleaf mainly because of its large leaves that range anywhere between 12 to 24 inches. It grows actively in spring and summer seasons. Mid Spring, the tree is at its peak bloom time with fruits and seeds growing all over it until fall, when the leaves turn yellow and magenta. Although it can grow in a wide range of climatic and soil conditions, it needs soil that can retain plenty of water.

Canyon Maple (Acer grandidentatum): Canyon maple also known as Bigtooth Maple (and known many other names), is a medium-sized tree that can reach a height of 30 to 40 feet, that takes quite a while as it is a very slow growing tree. The tree ranges in its stemming quality: it could be shrubby multi-stemmed tree or a single-stemmed tree. Canyon is used widely in landscape designs as its fall colors are vivid bright orange-red to red and grows well in most soil conditions and is cold tolerant. The fruit is yellow in color, U-shaped and double-winged.

Vine Maple (Acer circinatum): Vine maple is a small tree, more like a shrub, that attains a height of only 20 feet. When this maple is not pruned, it sprouts crooked branches that trail downwards, giving it a very vine like appearance, hence the name. During the fall season, the foliage turns a spectacular red and orange that graces the arched branches. They do well in partial or full shade and prefer moist soil. Vine maples cannot tolerate drought like conditions as well as temperatures below 13°F.

Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum): The leaves of striped maple are orbicular, 5 to 8 inches long and three lobed. It is known as Striped because of its prominent white lengthwise stripes on its bark that turn a reddish brown shade upon maturity. Its stripes distinguish it from other maple tress. It is a small tree that grows only up to 30 feet in height. It grows best in shaded and cool areas and requires well drained sandy loams.

Other Maple Tree Types

Japanese Maple Tree (Acer palmatum): Japanese maple trees are slow growing, that require light shade and moist soil. They have the most amazing fall color foliage: yellow, bronze, purple to red fall color, and red to purple colored flowers.

Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum): This maple thrives in sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well drained soil. This tree cannot tolerate drought conditions. Its leaves are trifoliated with bright red and orange fall color. The Paper Bark is one of the last maples to develop fall color.

Coliseum Maple (Acer cappadocicum): The Coliseum maple grows between 20 to 30 feet and has normal water and soil requirements for its growth. It is a fast growing maple that turns golden yellow in the fall season. Its flowers are dull in color and bloom mid spring.

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides): Leaves of this tree are five lobed with sharp points that turn yellow in fall. This maple prefers full sun, sandy soil and is very tolerant towards hot dry conditions. It bears greenish yellow colored flowers in early spring.

Fullmoon Maple (Acer japonicum): Fullmoon maple grows at a moderate to slow pace and attains a height of around 30 feet. It is a multi-branching tree which turns maroon- red in fall and bears white and maroon flowers on long stalks in the month of April.

Amur Maple ((Acer ginnala): Amur maple is a tall shrub that can grow up to 25 feet in height. Its leaves are small and three lobed. This variety can be grown as tall hedges and pruning maple trees is not difficult as Amur has slender branches. They turn scarlet red in the fall season.

A maple tree is a sight to behold in the fall season. Most varieties of this tree can be purchased from reputed plant nurseries for planting where one can also get information about their care, requirements and the common diseases they are susceptible to.