Maple trees
A genus of large stately trees, easy to grow, and often with spectacular autumn colours.
- Maple
Acer platanoides
The Norway Maple is large fast-growing tree with attractive 5-lobed leaves that turn yellow in autumn.- Height after 10 years: 5m-8m / 16ft-25ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow
- Awards: RHS AGM (former)
Acer platanoides - Maple
Aureum
As the name suggests, this is a form of the Cappodician Maple featuring golden-green leaves which take on multiple tints in the autumn.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer cappadocicum - Maple
Autumn Blaze
Spectacular, bright orange red leaves.A hybrid of Acer rubrum /saccharnum.Height after 10yr 6m/20ft- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer x Freemanii - Maple
Brandywine
Brandywine is one of the best red maples for the UK climate, with a reliable display of fiery-red autumn colours.- Height after 10 years: 5m-8m / 16ft-25ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
Acer rubrum - Maple
Brilliantissimum
A distinctive dwarf sycamore, named for the colour of its stunning pink spring leaves.- Height after 10 years: 2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer pseudoplatanus - Maple
Carnival
An attractive form of the Field Maple, featuring variegated leaves with white margins and light pink growing tips.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer campestre - MapleBest seller
Crimson King
Crimson King is a tree fast-growing maple with purple leaves which turn red in the autumn.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow / Crimson
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer platanoides - Maple
Drummondii
A popular form of the Norway Maple, characterised by its variegated leaves.- Height after 10 years: 5m-8m / 16ft-25ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow
Acer platanoides - Maple
Esk Sunset
A small slow-growing sycamore maple featuring exotic pink green and white variegated leaves.- Height after 10 years: 2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
Acer pseudoplatanus - Maple
Field Maple
The Field Maple makes a good specimen tree with attractive autumn colours, and is easy to grow.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer campestre - Maple
George Forrest
A popular snake-bark maple, very attractive striated bark, and golden yellow autumn colours.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer davidii - Maple
October Glory®
A well-named form of the North American Red Maple - the leaves turn a spectacular red in the autumn.- Height after 10 years: 5m-8m / 16ft-25ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer rubrum - Maple
Paper-bark maple
A medium-sized maple tree featuring characteristic peeling bark, and strong autumn colours.- Height after 10 years: 2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer griseum - Maple
Phoenix
One of the best Maples for winter colour, featuring striated bright red bark.- Height after 10 years: 2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow
Acer x conspicuum - Maple
Princeton Gold®
Princeton Gold is a versatile fast-growing form of the Norway Maple, named for its golden-green leaves.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Gold
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer platanoides - Maple
Red Flamingo
A small snake-bark maple featuring brilliant red stems and variegated pink, white, and green leaves.- Height after 10 years: 2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow
Acer x conspicuum - Maple
Red Snakebark Maple
One of the smaller maples, its main feature is the striated brown/red bark.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
Acer capillipes - Maple
Rubrum
One of the best forms of the Cappadocian Maple, featuring a range of leaf colours from spring to autumn.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Acer cappadocicum - Maple
Scanlon
An upright form of the popular red maple, with an attractive shape and reliable autumn colour.- Height after 10 years: 5m-8m / 16ft-25ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
- Awards: RHS AGM (former)
Acer rubrum - Maple
Silver Maple
A large stately tree featuring attractive cut leaves which turn yellow and gold in the autumn.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Gold
- Awards: RHS AGM (former)
Acer saccharinum - Maple
Simon-Louis Freres
A popular slow-growing medium-sized sycamore tree with very attractive variegated leaves.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
Acer pseudoplatanus - Maple
Sugar Maple
The Sugar Maple is the primary maple species used for producing maple syrup.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
Acer saccharum - Maple
Sun Valley
A good example of the Red Maple, featuring fiery red autumn leaf colours.- Height after 10 years: 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
Acer rubrum
How to choose Maple trees
Maple trees are easy to grow and are suitable in most soils and situations. They are for the most part large garden trees, typically ranging from 6m-10m after 10-20 years. Some species are native to the UK, and most originate from Europe or North America.
Maples are grown primarily for their stately forms, and especially the often spectactular autumn colours that their leaves take on in the autumn. Although the maritime climate of the UK is not as conducive to the intense display of colours which characterises fall in the USA and Canada, many varieties have been developed which will produce reliable colours in the UK.
Most forms also produce green or dull red flowers in the spring, followed by small fruitlets - often winged seeds - in the autumn.
There are many different species of maple. Some of the most popular are Acer pseudoplatanus, commonly known in the UK as the Sycamore, Acer saccharinum - the Silver Maple, Acer campestre - the stately Field Maple, Acer griseum, the Paperbark maple with its distinctive bark, Acer platanoides - the colourful Norway Maple, and Acer rubrum - the colourful Canadian maple which features on the Canadian flag.