Maples are among the most desirable of deciduous trees for landscape purposes. They are used extensively for street tree plantings, shade purposes and seasonal foliage color. Some species such as Norway and red maples have attractive flowers, while others such as the paperbark maple are characterized by interesting bark features.
Certain species such as red and silver maple thrive in fairly moist soils, while sugar maple grows best in well-drained soils. Most maples do well in a fairly wide soil pH range. Generally, maples are easy to transplant and can be moved most any time of year. Pruning can be done at any time with early spring preferred; however, sugar maple, among others, will "bleed" extensively. When collected by tapping, this sugary solution is used for syrup and other maple products.
Certain insects can be troublesome, including aphids on Norway maple, leaf hopper on hedge maple and scale insects on several species. All can be controlled with insecticides applied at the proper time.
Pruning and fertilization may help to control the disease verticillium wilt of the Norway maple.
Because the mature height varies from the 8 feet of certain
Japanese maples to nearly 100 feet of the sugar and silver maples,
considerable range exists in landscape use. Most are extremely hardy
in Ohio and can be located in exposed sites with the exception of a
number of the Japanese maples, which require some protection. The
small maples such as trident, hedge, amur, paperbark and tatarian,
which mature from 20 to 30 feet, are used in corner plantings, as
street trees, in lawn plantings and as specimens.
The larger species, including Norway, red and sugar, are used in
parks, on golf courses, along streets and for shade. Norway maple
seems to thrive in city conditions. Silver maple is the fastest
growing and least expensive maple; however, it is weakwooded and is
easily damaged during storms. Roots of silver maple have caused
problems with tile drainage, leach fields and sidewalks, and for
these and other reasons the landscape use of this maple is limited to
areas where these problems will not be of concern to the homeowner.
Species and Cultivars of Maples | ||
|---|---|---|
| Small Maples | Height | Common Name |
| Acer buergerianum | 20-25' | Trident Maple |
| Acer campestre | 25-30' | Hedge Maple |
| Acer ginnala | 18-20' | Amur Maple |
| Acer griseum | 20-25' | Paperbark Maple |
| Acer palmatum | 8-20' | Japanese Maple |
| cv. 'Atropurpurem' | Bloodleaf Japanese Maple | |
| 'Burgundy Lace' | Burgundy Lace Japanese Maple | |
| 'Dissectum' | Threadleaf Japanese Maple | |
| Acer tataricum | 15-20' | Tatarian Maple |
| Larger Maples | ||
| Acer platanoides | 40-50' | Norway Maple |
| cv. 'Cleveland' | Cleveland Norway Maple | |
| 'Columnare' | Column Norway Maple | |
| 'Crimson King' | Crimson King Norway Maple | |
| 'Emerald Queen' | Emerald Queen Norway Maple | |
| 'Erectum' | Erect Norway Maple | |
| 'Globosum' | Globe Norway Maple | |
| 'Green Lace' | Greenlace Norway Maple | |
| 'Royal Red' | Royal Red Norway Maple | |
| 'Schwedleri' | Schwedler Norway Maple | |
| 'Summershade' | Summershade Norway Maple | |
| 'Superform' | Superform Norway Maple | |
| Acer rubrum | 45-50' | Red Maple |
| cv. 'Armstrong' | Armstrong Red Maple | |
| 'Autumn Flame' | Autumn Flame Red Maple | |
| 'Bowhall' | Bowhall Red Maple | |
| 'Columnare' | Columnar Red Maple | |
| 'October Glory' | October Glory Red Maple | |
| 'Red Sunset' | Red Sunset Red Maple | |
| 'Schlesinger' | Schlesinger Red Maple | |
| 'Tilford' | Tilford Red Maple | |
| Acer saccharinum | 65-70' | Silver Maple |
| Acer saccharum | 65-70' | Sugar Maple |
| cv. 'Bonfire' | Bonfire Sugar Maple | |
| 'Columnare' | Newton Sentry Sugar Maple | |
| 'Globosum' | Globe Sugar Maple | |
| 'Green Mountain' | Green Mountain Sugar Maple | |
| 'Monumentale' | Temple's Upright Sugar Maple | |
| 'Sweet Shadow' | Sweet Shadow Sugar Maple | |
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Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
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