Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

Every so often, residents of the Inland Northwest are treated to a particularly glorious fall with beautiful weather and a stunning array of fall colors.

If you are like me, you were probably wishing your landscape included some of the trees that positively glowed in the neighborhoods around town. But how does one find out which trees work well in a landscape? One way is to see what’s growing in our parks.

I took a pleasant stroll through Finch Arboretum on a bright, sunny day this fall to admire the brilliant foliage and get ideas for my own yard. I was especially impressed with the red maples growing there. It turns out they are well suited to growing in this region and a very reliable tree for fall color.

Native to the eastern United States, the red maple would make a stunning accent in just about any landscape. It is one of the faster growing maples, averaging between 45 and 60 feet in height and spreading from 35 to 50 feet.

The tree prefers a sunny location with moist, well-drained soil although it will thrive under other conditions as well. Deep watering will help keep the tree roots down. It will grow in most soil types but prefers one that is more acidic.

In the spring, the trees have showy red flowers. The twigs are red and the bark is light gray in color. The shiny, dark green leaves make the tree very attractive throughout the warmer months.

But the fall foliage is what makes the red maple special. The leaves vary from yellow to bright red, and as autumn progresses, the colors become even more brilliant.

Tree shape and fall colors vary by cultivar. ‘Red Sunset’ has a pyramidal growth habit and fall foliage in shades of orange to red. The leaves of ‘October Glory’ are bright red. ‘Bowhall’ has tall, narrow growth and orange-red foliage. ‘Armstrong’ has a similar growth habit and fall colors ranging from yellow to orange-red.