The Summer Red Maple, is considered one of the best trees for early fall color! This is a large deciduous tree that has pyramidal form when young becoming rounded with age. Glossy green leaves turn brilliant orange-scarlet, extremely showy. Full sun. Grows faster than Norway and sugar maples, but slower than silver maple.
The Summer Red Maple leaves are shiny green above and pale green beneath, 3-5 lobed and 3-6" across. Species name of rubrum (meaning red) is everywhere in evidence: red flowers in dense clusters in late March to early April (before the leaves appear), red fruit (reddish two-winged samara), reddish stems and twigs. The Red Sunset is one of the best red maple cultivars available in commerce, with outstanding orange to red fall color. An excellent choice for lawn or street planting.
Maples are deciduous trees (sometimes shrubs) often grown for the shade they produce and their exceptional autumn color. They may be narrow and columnar, wide spreading and round-headed or low and mounded.