The Best Time Of Year To Plant A Fast-Growing Maple Tree For Gorgeous Color

There are a wide range of stunning maple trees to consider growing in your yard. From petite Japanese maple trees to massive silver maples, they are all worth consideration. However, one tree stands out thanks to its stunning autumn color — the red maple (Acer rubrum). Fall isn't just the best time to admire a red maple, though — it's also the ideal time to plant one.

Named for their brilliant autumn foliage as well as their vibrant spring flowers, red maples are native to North America and beneficial additions for your local bees and other pollinators. With a rapid growth rate of about a foot and a half per year, they can quickly become a stunning specimen tree in your landscape, likely reaching mature heights of around 40 to 70 feet ... though they can potentially grow up to 120 feet. As long as you have the space, adding a red maple to your landscape in fall will reward you with beauty for decades, or even centuries, to come.

Red maples thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 9, making them great options for much of the United States. While they are not overly picky about soil conditions, they grow best in wetter and more acidic soil, giving them the nickname "swamp maples". This makes them a great tree to plant in areas that have poor drainage, conditions where many other trees may struggle. They also are not bothered by compacted soil.  Despite their preference for moister soils, red maples are still relatively drought tolerant, as well. Just be sure to plant your red maples in a full sun to part shade location.

If you want to plant a red maple this autumn, but don't want to risk it growing to 120 feet, a shorter cultivar like 'Somerset' may be a good option. It only grows to around 25 feet, but still has the stunning color that red maples are known for. For gardeners with drainage issues in their yard, pairing a red maple with shrubs and herbs that grow in wet soils will allow for a stunning landscape, despite the wet soil. Many perennials that could make good companions for red maples are also ideal to plant in the fall. Consider growing serviceberry, ninebark, or even swamp milkweed alongside your red maple.