Acer rubrum 'October Glory'
Look out for the bright red leaves of Acer rubrum 'October Glory' in the Jubilee Arboretum behind the Glasshouse Borders and Fruit Mount, as well as on the north of the Fruit Field towards the A3.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- Red maple, Scarlet maple, Swamp maple
- Family
- Aceraceae
- Height & spread
- 20m (70ft) x 10m (30ft)
- Form
- Deciduous tree
- Soil
- Fertile, moist but well drained, acid
- Aspect
- Full sun or partial shade
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
Acer
There are about 110 species of acer and most are deciduous trees and shrubs from Europe, North Africa, North and Central America and Asia. They grow in forests and woodlands with moist climates.
Acer is the Latin name for a maple tree, but the word also means sharp and refers to the hardness of the wood, which the Romans used for spear shafts.
Acers are valued for their foliage, which may be variegated and have spectacular autumn colour; some also have attractive bark. Large maples may be grown as specimen trees; smaller trees and shrubs are excellent for any garden.
Acer rubrum 'October Glory'
From eastern North America, this large tree is valued for its fast growth, tolerance of wet soils and atmospheric pollution and most of all for its spectacular autumn colour.
Pyramid-shaped when young, it becomes more rounded when mature.
The leaves are dark green, bluish beneath, turning yellow, amber or red in autumn. Tiny red flowers are produced in clusters, followed by red fruits.
The smooth grey bark is another bonus, particularly on young plants.
Acer rubrum 'October Glory' has glossy leaves, which turn brilliant red in early autumn.
Cultivation
- Grow in fertile, preferably acid, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.
- Prune in late autumn to mid-winter to remove wayward or crossing shoots and to maintain good shape.
- Acer rubrum is prone to aphids, mites, scale insects, caterpillars, tar spot, verticillium wilt, leaf scorch and honey fungus.
Propagation
- Sow seed in situ or in containers as soon as ripe (cultivars won't come true from seed).
- Graft cultivars in late winter, bud in late summer.
AGM
The RHS Woody Plant Committee awarded Acer rubrum 'October Glory' an Award of Garden Merit and described it as:
'Large deciduous tree with erect main branches. Leaves 3-lobed, dark green above, whitish beneath, brilliant crimson in autumn. Flowers crimson on bare branches. Excellent selection of red maple.'