Autumn Flame Maple
The Autumn Flame Maple Tree
The Autumn Flame Maple tree is one of the most popular types of trees for landscaping; this tree grows quickly, and its leaves are fast to turn colors in the fall. If you like colorful fall trees, you’ll definitely like this variety of maple tree.
Autumn Flame Maple trees are also known as acer rubrum trees. The leaves of this tree appear in the shape of the leaves of the traditional maple tree; they are bright green, but if you look closely you will see just a hint of red. In the fall the leaves on this tree will turn a bright red, and some may turn yellow as well.
The beautiful leaves of the Autumn Flame Maple is the main reason that it is so popular with landscapers and homeowners, but there are advantages to this tree variety that make it a nice addition to your yard. Another reason why people like to plant this tree is that it will grow quickly, and if cared for properly will grow up to 4 feet a year. When this tree is mature it will be anywhere from 40 to 60 feet tall, plus it can grow 24 to 40 feet wide with a trunk of about 5 feet in diameter.
Obviously with the Autumn Flame Maple getting so large, not only will it look beautiful in your yard, it will also make a great shade tree too. When this tree reaches maturity, it will have branches that are low, and form a canopy of shade.
Although these trees are very hardy, they do have a tendency to die if your area has very harsh winters. If you live in a warm climate, you can expect that the Autumn Flame Maple will not grow quite as large as it might in wetter climates, unless it is planted by a river or stream. Another option would be to make sure that it has plenty of water all year long. If the tree has enough water, it may still grow quite large.
When planting the Autumn Flame Maple, you will want to make sure that it is placed in an area that receives plenty of sunshine, though you can plant it in light shade as well. If you live in a hot dry climate, you may want to plant this tree where it will be in shade to help protect it from the heat and drying out. If your tree does not receive enough moisture it will not produce the large, colorful leaves that it will in moist climates.
This type of maple tree will grow in most soil types, except for salty soil. The maple does best when the soil is acidic. If you do not have the proper soil for growing this tree you will want to add enough quality soil in the ground where you will be planting to help ensure that the tree grows properly.
Due to the fact that the Autumn Flame Maple is such a beautiful tree, and it will grow just about anywhere, it is one of the easiest trees to add to your landscaping, but there are a few problems you will have to deal with.
One of the disadvantages to this type of tree is that the branches grow so low it will be necessary trim the low branches on a regular basis so that you will be able to walk beneath the tree. Another problem that you may find with the Autumn Fire Maple is that the bark is fragile and easily damaged. The surface roots of this tree also have a tendency to come up a little out of the ground; this can cause problems for mowing your lawn, as well as breaking up concrete if it is planted near a driveway or sidewalk.
Aside from these problems, the Autumn Fire Maple is a beautiful tree and can add color to your yard during the fall months.