October Glory Red Maple
October Glory Red Maple (Acer rubrum 'October Glory')
Height: 50 feet Spread: 40 feet Sunlight: Full sun Hardiness Zone: 4b Other Names: Swamp Maple, Scarlet Maple
Description: The October Glory Red Maple is a popular selection of red maple known for its consistent and excellent red fall color year after year. With its good form and striking autumn display, this large shade tree is perfect for larger landscapes and makes an excellent street or boulevard tree. However, it is intolerant of alkaline soils.
Ornamental Features:
Form: Decidedly oval form.
Flowers: Showy clusters of red flowers adorn the branches in early spring before the leaves emerge.
Foliage: Green deciduous foliage that emerges red in spring. The lobed leaves turn an outstanding red in the fall.
Bark: Furrowed silver bark and brick-red branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes:
Deciduous tree with a shapely oval form.
Average texture that blends into the landscape; can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
Low-maintenance tree; should be pruned in summer after leaves have fully developed to avoid 'bleeding' sap.
No significant negative characteristics.
Recommended Uses:
Accent
Shade
Planting & Growing:
Grows to about 50 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 40 feet.
High canopy with a typical clearance of 7 feet from the ground; not suitable for planting under power lines. Lower branches can be strategically removed as it matures to create a high canopy that allows unobstructed human traffic underneath.
Grows at a medium rate and can live for 80 years or more under ideal conditions.
Thrives in full sunlight.
Quite adaptable, preferring to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water.
May require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat.
Not particular about soil type but has a definite preference for acidic soils. Subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils.
Somewhat tolerant of urban pollution.
This is a selection of a native North American species.