Acer rubrum - American Red Maple - 30 seeds
Acer rubrum, commonly known as the Red Maple, is a rapid growing maple from the north central US that is a thing of beauty when grown in the right form and climate. It is renowned for its glossy green leaves that turn vivid shades of red, yellow, scarlet or orange in the Autumn and its leaves will always contain a hint of scarlet.
Pyramidical habit when young, the branches start low and form a dense, narrow crown developing with time and maturity to a more rounded crown, this is a deciduous, cool climate tree that grows as large as 25 to 30m in its native habitat but it is normally smaller in cultivation, reaching perhaps 20m in height with a spread of 8 to 12m and with age it develops a very large trunk.
It produces attractive male and female flowers that appear in the spring before the foliage arrives, these are then followed by fruits or samaras - double winged or lobed in an attractive deep scarlet colour. The twigs are a shiny red with V-shaped leaf scars and blunt reddish-brown buds. Bark is smooth and ranges in colour from brownish grey to white, but becoming grey-brown, scaly and plated with age.
Occurring naturally in USDA zones 3 to 8 (-40°C to 20°C) this tree has quite definite tolerances and dislikes that are relevant to its cultivation in Australian conditions. It can handle intense cold far beyond that normally found in Australia and grows well in moist, wet and flood-prone soils, but will struggle in hot dry climates where the soil is dry and the temperatures regularly exceed 25°C. It is not drought tolerant and does not like saline soils or salt spray, preferring soils that are slightly acidic. It can take a lightly shaded site but is at its best in full sun. Please note - all species of Maple (Acer) require 90 to 120 days cold stratification pre-treatment to promote germination.
Given the opportunity this tree will often produce a mass of sprouts and suckers and while this can be attractive in itself its true glory is when it is grown as a single, straight-trunked feature tree.
A glorious tree but one that requires some careful thought (and possibly work) in our Australian conditions.
30 premium quality seeds shipped on receipt of cleared funds.