Red Maple Tree Growth Rate: Popular Varieties and More

How fast does a Red Maple grow

Famous for its red flowers, the rep Maple is also known as the Scarlet Maple or the Swamp Maple. Cultivated for their shade, autumn lovers of the eastern deciduous forest love the Red Maples for their spectacular scarlet foliage. Its leaves are three to five-lobed, typically paler underneath.

Native to eastern North America, it is a fast growing tree that usually reaches 60-90 feet on a straight trunk. Some plants even grow about 120 feet. Since Red Maples can survive the wet, compact soils and city population, it is popular in the urban environment.

In smaller quantities, its sap also comes in handy for syrup preparation. How fast does a Red Maple grows and what’s Red Maple tree growth rate annually, continue reading to find out.

How Fast Do Maple Trees Grow From Seed?

It takes around 40-90 days on average for fast growing Red Maple trees’ seed to sprout. However, some maple varieties can take up to 120 days to germinate and sprout. So, be patient with your maple plant care.

After you get the seedling, the Red Maple will take some years to become a sapling and, ultimately full-grown tree. In most situations how fast does a Red Maple grow, depends on the growing conditions and the spot where you plant the seed.

Where Do Red Maples Grow Best?

How fast does a Red Maple tree grow where it is supposed to grow best? Let us find out.

Native to the eastern deciduous forests, Red Maples are found popularly in the east to Florida, South to Texas, and Maine west to Minnesota. They also grow widely in the Southernmost parts of their range. It is the reason people fondly call them the wetland species. Their popularity in the eastern deciduous forest is primarily because of their generalist tendencies.

These plants can withstand several habitats, employ varied resources, and thrive. So, merely by mimicking its growing prerequisites, you can amplify the Red Maple tree growth rate.

Do Red Maples Grow Fast?

Most Red Maple Trees grow approximately 10-12-inches in a year. Some of them can even grow up to 3 feet in a year and can get about 120 feet tall. However, an average Maple usually grows between 40-50 feet.

Given their size, beauty, and stature, the Red Maples are a landscape specimen in an area that can conveniently accommodate their size. If you offer the proper care and growing conditions, the plants can grow in dry and wet soils. Hence, they can also live in creeds or ponds and drier regions. However, they do not thrive near driveways or sidewalks because they are durable plants with a robust root system that tend to elevate nearby surfaces.

Red Maple Tree Height and Width

A mature Red Maple has a height between 40-60 feet. They also have a vast spread, usually about forty feet. But a full-grown Maple can grow about 120 feet and fifty to sixty feet spread. Hence, it is vital to space the two plants carefully.

The Growth Rate Of Maple Trees…

To answer how fast does a red maple tree grow, we can clearly say that while some trees grow at a slow pace, meaning they take about two to three decades to reach their maximum height; some trees grow faster, meaning they take a decade and a half to attain full size.

However, Red Maple growth rate falls in the medium range tilting toward the quicker side, meaning they acquire a height between 10-12 inches per year.

Growth Rate of Some Specific Red Maple Varieties

Here is a list of some of the Red Maple varieties with their growth patterns.

1. Red Sunset Maple

This Red Maple variety is renowned for its solid branch structure and magnificent fall color. Its tiny winter, spring flowers, buds, twigs, and leaf system are all red. In addition, its summer fruits also have a red appearance.

In seasons beyond fall, the plant has glossy leaves, which hang on to the tree till they turn orange-red and finally bright red during the fall.

It is a fast growing Maple that usually reaches 45-50 feet with a 35-40 feet spread at yearly growth of 1.5-2.5 feet.

2. October Glory Red Maple

Wish for one of the fastest growing Red Maples? October Glory can be an excellent choice. Usually, it grows about 24 inches in a year, meaning it achieves the same height as the Red Sunset, but its stretch is not vast. Typically, you will see the spread between 25-35 feet.

The plant thrives in USDA zones four through nine. The plant loves full sun but can also tolerate partial shade. Fortunately for growers, October Glory is not very picky in its soil preference, and you can plant them in clayey to loamy and acidic soils.

The plant also attracts several birds. It is a common preference amongst the Americans in the front yards, especially for its fall beauty and an ornamental appeal.

3. Autumn Blaze Red Maple

Native to North America, Autumn Blaze is a beautiful Red Maple with spectacular fall foliage. The plant has a shapely form and is a landscape specimen, regardless of where you grow it. It needs a broad space to develop and is a Silver and Red Maple hybrid.

The plant has an oval crown with an ascending and a finely balanced branch system. The plant can grow about two feet a year if exposed to the right growing conditions. Fortunately, it is also a pollution-tolerant plant. Hence, you can find it along the busy streets and urban areas.

In addition, the Autumn Blaze Red Maple can also grow in a variety of soil conditions. So, be it nutrient-rich soil or a poor one, the plant can grow in both. The fall commencement changes the plant’s green leaves to spectacular orange-red. Hence, the name – Autumn Blaze Red Maple.

4. Redpointe Red Maple

It is a medium-sized, slow growing Red Maple that grows up to 40-50 ft tall. It is suitable for narrow yards. It is a low-maintenance plant, which is perfect for amateur growers. You can plant it in well-drained soil. Always opt for a spot that receives full sun. There are very minimalist care requirements for Redpointe Red Maple. If you meet them, you will have the plant illuminating your landscape for a long time.

5. Scarlet Sentinel Maple

Scarlet Sentinel Maple is a fast growing Red Maple Variety. Horticultural experts regard it as a hybrid between the Red Maple and the Silver Maples, and the plant grows about 45 feet with a span of 25 feet.

It has five-lobed, broad leaves, which look much like the silver Maples. Its new leaves are red, but as summer approaches, they become green, and finally, during the fall, the plant’s leaves become fiery red.

Scarlet Sentinel has a light gray but smooth bark. However, as the plant gets older, the bark turns lighter. The plant is full of showy red flowers, nestling beautifully on their red branches in the blooming season. Native to the eastern United States, it is a giant lawn tree. Once established, the plant grows to about 40 feet with a 20 feet width.

Red Maples have so many other popular varieties. We have included only a few listed above because of their low-maintenance nature and vast popularity.

How Can I Enhance Red Maple Tree Growth Rate and Make It Grow Faster?

Is there a way to improve the Red Maple growth rate? Here are some tips that help fast growing Red Maple trees thrive better.

1. Water

How fast does a Red Maple grow significantly depends on the amount of water it receives. Both overwatering and underwatering can intervene with the plant’s growth. Ideally, you should water the plant regularly. Opt for a slow and deep watering.

The plant’s watering requirements decline after establishment but still ensure that the plant maintains a moist soil. If you cannot fix any watering frequency, touch the topsoil. If it feels dry, you can rewater it.

But, if you tend to forget to water, you can add a thick organic mulch layer around the tree’s base. It will help the plant retain its moisture and keep weeds at bay.

2. Light

Red Maples love full sun. However, they can also do well in partial shade. In every case, the plant needs an unfiltered, direct sun of at least six hours. If you have an indoor potted plant, place it near a south-facing window to receive ample sun. However, guard it against the harsh sunlight that can scorch the leaves.

3. Fertilizer

If you decide on feeding the plant, apply the fertilizer to the plant’s root zones.

Ideally, during the spring, for every 1000 square feet of the root zone, you need a 15-pound NPK 20-5-5 fertilizer. How fast does a Red Maple tree grow depends on the nutrients and feeds you give the plant. However, please remember that excessive fertilizer can also stunt or cease growth. So, read the manufacturing label before you choose to fertilize.

4. Soil

Proper soil has a vital role in a plant’s growth. Red Maples enjoy neutral to acidic soil. They have adaptable roots and can live in low or high elevations, dry or wet soils, and almost every soil type. If you know how fast does a Red Maple grows in soggy soil and how stunted its growth gets, you will never make the mistake of planting your maple in it.

5. Temperature

Red Maples can live in moist and dry regions, from bogs to dry ridges. It can also live in swampy, mountainous areas and along the streams. But, the plant enjoys cooler weather overall.

6. Pruning

Because of their rapid growth, regular pruning and trimming of the Red Maples are vital to maintaining their overall visual appeal and oval outline. Ideally, during the late Spring, you can prune the Red Maple between May and early June.

However, ensure that all new maple leaves have developed before you start pruning. During this time, the sap production is minimum. Hence, you can avoid wounding the plant or sap bleeds. The plant yields excessive juice later in the year. It is when pruning is a strict no.

Red Maple Hardiness Zone

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone is the standard employed by growers and gardeners to determine the locations that best suit the plant. It depends on the year’s average minimum winter temperature divided into 10-degree Fahrenheit zones. To support the Red Maple growth rate, horticultural experts recommend planting them in the USDA hardiness zones three through nine. It implies that Red Maples can survive between -40 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques 1. When is the right time to plant Red Maple?

Ans. The environmental conditions and the location play a significant role when planting a Red Maple tree. So, fall and spring are the best times to grow a Red Maple. Make sure you guard them against the arid weather or freezing climates.

Ques 2. What Maple tree grows the fastest?

Ans. The Red Maple is the fastest growing species among the Maple trees. There are so many fast growing red maple trees for you to choose from.

Ques 3. What is the lifespan of a Red Maple?

Ans. Given the exponential Red Maple tree growth rate, some red maple trees can live anywhere from two hundred to three hundred years.

But, in a typical situation, the plant can live about eighty to a hundred years. Once the plant crosses seventy, it attains maturity, and its roots grow horizontally and acquire a length of about eighty feet.

Ques 4. How old is the oldest Red Maple tree?

Ans. The oldest Red Maple can live up to two centuries. However, it is not one of the most common situations you see in a Red Maple’s lifespan.

Ques 5. What is the fastest growing tree for privacy?

Ans. If you want to plant a fast growing tree that works as a privacy screen in your yard or lawn, you can opt for a Hybrid Poplar. Alternatively, Silver Maple, Green Giant Arborvitae, and Leyland Cypress are also excellent choices. But, they add only two feet to the height annually. So, it may take them some time to start functioning as a privacy screen.