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Trees

Acer rubrum 'Autumn Flame'

A round-headed, deciduous maple ultimately reaching 20m in height, with 3 or 5-lobed dark green leaves to 10cm long, turning a brilliant red in early autumn. Produces upright clusters of tiny red flowers in spring followed by reddish winged fruits in autumn; needs acid soil for best autumn leaf colour

Synonyms

Acer × freemanii 'Autumn Flame'

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Plant nurseries
4 suppliers

Ultimate height

Higher than 12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

Wider than 8 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or West–facing or North–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy, Spreading branched
Genus: Acer can be deciduous trees or large shrubs with paired, often palmately-lobed leaves and small flowers followed by characteristic winged fruits. Many have fine autumn colour, and some have ornamental stems
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. For best autumn colour grow in neutral to acid moist but well-drained soil. See tree cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings, or by grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Pruning group 1, only from late autumn to mid-winter

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and scale insects, including horse chestnut scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to Verticillium wilt, Acer leaf scorch and honey fungus

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