Autumn Blaze Maple
A few of the most favored landscape trees are the red maple and the silver maple, so when a tree emerges carrying the best characteristics of each of these and is called Autumn Blaze Maple, you can bet it will be a popular choice.
The autumn blaze maple is a hybrid of the red and yellow maples, and exhibits the best qualities of each. The silver maple is known for its vigorous growth and adaptability, while the red maple is incomparable in beauty and endurable nature. The combination of good genes resulted in the autumn blaze maple; a tree of tall stature featuring a dense branching habit, great resistance to disease and insects and one that is highly flexible to different conditions and climates.
Several awards have been bestowed upon the autumn blaze maple tree as a result of its excellent all around characteristics. In 2003, it was named “Best Urban Tree of the Year 2003”, and by the state of Iowa “Tree of the Year”. Those same characteristics have earned the tree the best recognition of all; it has become the one of the most requested tree by United States residents as well as having increased popularity in other countries. The autumn blaze maple is a fast grower; exceeding the growth rate of the red maple and about equal to that of the silver. In an ideal landscape, the tree may grow 3 feet of more in one year’s time. Its mature growth can reach the astounding height of 50 feet.
The autumn blaze maple is a deciduous tree; losing its leaves in the fall and going into dormancy until spring when new leaves appear. The leaf shape, five lobes with saw-like teeth, is common with this tree, as with the silver maple. A mid-green coloration is seen in the foliage through the spring and summer, while the leaves exhibit red veins and stems like its parent the red maple.
The true magic occurs with the onset of autumn. Incredibly intense red or reddish orange coloration takes over the towering tree; when the autumn sun washes over the tree, the brilliance of crimson is a dazzling sight. When winter enters the picture, the autumn blaze maple persists in offering visual interest with stubborn leaves that cling to branches on the still vivid red stems.
One of the great features of the autumn blaze maple is that it is seedless; unable to present any threat to native ecology through over saturating the area with sprouting seedlings. In fact, propagation of this tree is done through root cuttings.
The large mature size of the autumn blaze maple unfortunately prohibits it from being included in all but the largest of yard landscapes, but is a beautiful addition to parks and common areas. Enjoying its statuesque beauty throughout the summer, and the amazing brilliant color in fall are both reasons to seek out any specimens of the autumn blaze maple in your area.