Maples trees are celebrated for their incredible display of reds, oranges, and yellows in the Fall. There are approximately 132 species of Maples, the common name for trees in the genus Acer. Nearly all are found in the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority of diversity in East Asia. 13 species are native to North America, and three of these are native to Utah!
Maples and Soil
There are a few dozen species and cultivars of Maples commonly available in garden centers across the US, but not all will thrive in Utah’s unique soil and climate. Maples generally prefer well-draining, neutral to acidic pH soils that are rich in nutrients and organic matter. Some maples need to have these conditions and will struggle otherwise, while other maples can adapt to the poorer, alkaline soils with a higher pH that is common across the Wasatch Front. Many popular species, such as Sugar, Red, Silver, and Autumn Blaze Maples struggle in Utah’s soils and suffer from Iron Chlorosis, an often fatal nutrient deficiency.
What is Iron Chlorosis?
Have you seen a tree with pale yellow leaves when they should be green? Chances are you’re dealing with Iron Chlorosis, an often fatal nutrient deficiency that can occur in Utah’s high pH (alkaline) soils. Some plants, including many maples, prefer acidic soils and will struggle otherwise, while others can handle it just fine. When selecting a maple tree for your landscape, it’s good to know what your soil texture and pH is, and if you have secondary water that’s high in salt content.
Which Maples are best for Utah?
The good news is that when it comes to Maples, there are dozens of varieties that will thrive in Utah. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors…
Norway Maples
Acer platanoides
Norway Maples are large trees native to Europe and West Asia. They are planted widely around the world because they are adaptable to many different soil types and tolerant of tough, urban conditions. These adaptable trees offer reliable, uniform growth and a range of leaf colors, from green to gold to crimson. Though Norway Maples are considered weedy and invasive in other parts of North America, they have long been used in Utah landscapes without manifesting invasive tendencies.
Popular Norway Maple Cultivars
- Emerald Queen Maple: Rounded oval crown with deep green foliage that turns golden yellow in the fall. Size: 50’ h x 40’ w
- Princeton Gold Maple: Rounded oval crown with leaves that emerge chartreuse green, turning to golden yellow for the summer. Size: 35’ h x 20’ w
- Crimson King Maple: Rounded oval crown with burgundy foliage that turns reddish bronze in the Fall. Size: 40’ h x 35’ w
- Columnar Norway Maple: Upright narrow, tapered crown with green foliage that turns golden yellow in the fall. Size: 35’ h x 15’ w
- Crimson Sentry Maple: Upright narrow crown with burgundy leaves that turn orange-red in the fall. Size: 25’ h x 15’ w.
Sunset Maples – Hybrid Norway Maples
Acer truncatum x A. platanoides
Sunset Maples are hybrids that combine the reliability of Norway Maples with the more vibrant orange and red fall color of Shantung Maples from Asia. These hybrid maples also tend to be smaller than Norway Maples, with a range of heights from 20’ to 40’.
Comparing Sunset Maple Varieties
- Norwegian Sunset Maple: Broad rounded crown with orange red fall color. Size: 35”-40” h x 20”-30” w
- Pacific Sunset Maple: Broad rounded crown with orange red fall color. Similar to Norwegian Sunset but slightly smaller. Size: 30”-35” h x 20”-25” w
- Urban Sunset Maple: Broad rounded crown similar to Norwegian Sunset but slightly smaller. Leaves are glossier than Norwegian and Pacific, with a deeper red fall color. Size: 30”-35” h x 20”-25” w
- Ruby Sunset Maple: A smaller size tree with glossy foliage and red fall color. Size: 20’-25’ h x 15’-20’ w
- Crimson Sunset Maple: Broad rounded crown with burgundy foliage in the growing season and orange red fall color. Size: 35”-40” h x 20”-30” w
Sycamore Maples
Acer pseudoplatanus
Also called ‘Sycamores’, these tough, hardy trees are well suited to Utah’s hot Summers and cold Winters.
Paperbark Maples
Acer griseum
In addition to stunning displays of fall color, Paperbark Maples feature attractive peeling “paper” bark that provides unique Winter interest.
Tatarian Maple
Acer tataricum
Small trees related to Amur Maples that are much more tolerant of alkaline soils. Cultivars “Hot Wings” and “Ruby Slippers” produce large amounts of showy, bright red “helicopter” seeds called samaras.
Hedge/Field Maples
Acer campestre
Hedge Maples, aka Field Maples, are tough mid-sized trees that perform well in urban environments and are adaptable to hot, dry, alkaline soils.
Miyabe Maple
Acer miyabei
The Miyabe Maple is a lesser known species of maple that is somewhat endangered in its native range in Northern Japan. The cultivar State Street Maple, developed at the Morton Arboretum outside of Chicago, is an excellent shade or street tree. It features thick, glossy green leaves and yellow fall color, attractive cork-like bark, and a strongly branched upright., rounded crown.
Shantung Maple
Acer truncatum
Shantung Maples are hardy and adaptable maples native to Eastern Asia with good tolerance to heat, drought, urban environments, and poor soils. They make up half of the parentage of the popular Sunset Series of maples, which are extremely popular for home and urban landscapes. Another cultivar, the Main Street Maple (30’ h x 25’ w), is just as durable as Sunset Maples and features handsome orange-red fall foliage as well.
Trident Maple
Acer buergerianum
Trident Maples have tri-lobed leaves and are used as bonsai trees. They are less common in our landscapes but they’re hardy and adaptable trees with great fall color.
Utah Native Maples
Box Elder Maple
Acer negundo
Common and widespread across North America, Box Elders are actually a type of maple tree! They are tough, prolific, and highly adaptable trees that thrive in many soil types and situations. In Utah, Box Elders are often considered a nuisance due to their rapid growth and seeds that attract the infamous Box Elder Bug (Boisea spp.). But the Sensation Box Elder Maple is a seedless male cultivar that won’t attract bugs, has a slower, more uniform branching structure and sensationally reliable orange-red fall color.
Bigtooth Maple
Acer grandidentatum
Bigtooth Maples are small trees native from Montana down into the Southwest and in our backyard. Also called Canyon Maples, these are the trees that turn the foothills around the Wasatch Front bright red and orange in the Fall. Seedling grown Bigtooth Maples are fairly adaptable to various sites and soils and can make for good smaller, multi-stem specimen trees in landscapes. Bigtooth Maples are closely related to Sugar Maples, though, and cultivated varieties such as Rocky Mountain Glow and Mesa Glow are grafted onto Sugar Maple rootstock. Growers do this to create reliably single-trunk, uniform trees, but this unfortunately makes them highly susceptible to Iron Chlorosis and other issues.
Rocky Mountain Maple
Acer glabrum
Rocky Mountain Maples are native to the mountains of Western North America, including Utah. They are uncommon in the home landscape, but their availability has risen in recent years with greater attention to growing native plants. Though Rocky Mountain Maples prefer cooler, wetter sites and lower pH soils, they can do well as small, ornamental trees (up to 20’ tall) with filtered sunlight, ample water, and soil amendments.
Note: Rocky Mountain Maple should not be confused with Rocky Mountain Glow, which is a cultivar of Bigtooth Maple.
Maples that Struggle in Utah
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
When you think of a red maple, you may be thinking of any number of maples whose leaves turn red in the Fall. But Red Maple is also the common name for the species Acer rubrum, which does in fact have brilliant red fall foliage but green leaves for the rest of the growing season. Red Maples are native to Eastern North America in forests where they are among the most common trees. Though they are somewhat adaptable to higher pH soils, they still struggle in Utah’s alkaline, clay soil and dry climate of the Salt Lake Valley and Wasatch Front, and are prone to diseases, nutrient deficiencies and short lifespans here. In our experience, Red Maples are more likely to perform better in higher elevation areas such as Park City, Heber, and Logan where soil conditions are more conducive.
Red Maple Cultivars: Armstrong, Bowhall, October Glory, Redpointe
Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum
Silver Maples are large, fast-growing trees native to Eastern North America. While widely used as landscaping trees, they often grow too quickly and are considered weak wooded, messy trees. For this reason they have fallen out of favor for other maple varieties. Additionally, Silver Maples are not tolerant of the high pH soils we have in Utah and will struggle with chlorosis and nutrient deficiencies.
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
The Sugar Maple, as its name suggests, is the primary source of the sweet sap that gets made into maple syrup. Sugar Maples are native to the North Eastern US and Canada, where most of the global production of maple syrup takes place. These trees prefer moist, acidic soils with abundant organic matter. They struggle with hot, arid climates, high pH soils, and are not very tolerant of urban pollution. Sugar Maples are not recommended for Utah landscapes.
Freeman Maple – Autumn Blaze Maple
Acer x freemanii
Freeman Maples are naturally occurring hybrids of Red and Silver Maples. These trees combine the fast-growth of Silver Maples with more uniform, steady growth and brilliant fall color of Red Maples. The most widely grown of these trees is Autumn Blaze, which is one of the most popular trees for urban landscapes in the United States. Unfortunately, Autumn Blaze Maples do not thrive in Utah’s alkaline soils and dry climate, and suffer from severe, often fatal iron chlorosis within 10 years of planting. Though they may do well in cooler, higher elevation sites with more neutral soils, we still encourage regular fertilizing and treatment with EDDHA Chelated Iron to counteract .
Amur Flame Maple
Acer ginnala
Amur Maples are small, exceptionally cold hardy trees that are typically grown as multi-stem ornamental specimens rather than as shade trees. Though they can do well in lower to neutral pH soils, Amur Maples can easily suffer from chlorosis, especially in the Salt Lake Valley. Flame Maple is a common cultivar. Flame Ruby Slippers Maple is an Amur Maple cultivar selected for its reliable single-trunk growth and bright red samaras, and is more tolerant of alkalinity\.
Bigleaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum
West Coast native Bigleaf Maples are the largest of all the maple trees, with leaves that grow 12” across or more! Bigleaf maples are marvels to see in their native range, but are not commonly cultivated for landscapes and would struggle with Utah soils and dry climate.
